


where regina falls for the bottle blonde

by red_streaks



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: AU, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-11-16
Packaged: 2018-03-21 14:19:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3695522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/red_streaks/pseuds/red_streaks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Blind!Regina AU</p><p>“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”</p><p>“Shit. Shit, listen it’s really not what it looks like,” a female voice carries through the hallway, high pitched and nervous. “I just really don’t want to see my roommate naked again, okay?”</p><p>She hears feet shuffling and catches a whiff of something sharp. Her mind catches up with what the girl is saying and instantly, her back stiffens and she raises an eyebrow.  </p><p>“‘It’s not what it looks like?’ Is that a joke?” The girl stops shuffling and stays quiet for a beat, probably taking in her walking stick and her unfocused eyes, before she starts moving again.</p><p>"Shit."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Anon asked for Blind!Regina falls in love with Emma in college.
> 
> Originally a tumblr post, I hope you enjoy!

"So, uh. If you want to just sit and I’ll-I’ll order something for you. Here, there’s a table over there.”

 

Regina’s date places a clammy hand on her elbow and attempts to guide her through the throngs of tables and college students. She rolls her eyes as her bag hits the corner of a table and offers an apology as her date continues to charmingly _help_ her. Her date couldn’t possibly believe she hadn’t know how to order Starbucks or simply walk through a crowded table before she met him.

 

She may be blind but she could easily spot an asshole.

 

After her walking stick hits a few too many chair legs, she decrees her date a mistake, but still, she lets him guide her to a far off table where the noise lessens. He stumbles an apology after he tries taking her bag from her and excuses himself rather awkwardly to order drinks, never once asking Regina what she prefers. Ten minutes pass and the brunette grows impatient of listening to the bustle of the cafe.

 

Before she can contemplate leaving, she hears him set a drink in front of her. “I uh- I didn’t really know what you liked but you seem like a tea person. It’s this pink fruity tea, or something.”

 

“Or something,” Regina mumbles, sniffing the tea with displeasure. “And what did you order?”

 

“Oh, black coffee.”

 

Regina takes a sip of the drink in front of her to hide her scowl and immediately regrets it, the sweet treat making the back of her teeth ache. Who was he to assume what she liked _and_ order for her?

 

“Right, so tell me about yourself. Mal said you weren’t born blind, so how did that happen?”

 

Her hands clutch around her stifling drink but before she can respond that the meddling ass should just listen to the rumors if all he wanted to talk about was her disability, he stands up abruptly and jostles the table.

 

“Hey, I know that girl! Do you mind if I say hi real quick?” And he was gone.

 

After waiting twenty minutes, and nursing what was clearly the worst drink at Starbucks, she gathers her bag and, making sure to leave her drink behind, she heads to the door with purpose. 

 

She feels a hand at her elbow again and sighs as her now failure of a date says, “Hey hey, I was just coming over. Where are you going?”

 

“I have to be at my dorm soon. So sorry to cut this short.” Her words drip with sarcasm that go over her date’s head. Robin, was it?

 

“Oh. Well, I can walk you. I wouldn’t want you getting lost. Maybe we can do this again?”

 

“I certainly know how to get to my dorm. And, no the first time was hardly enjoyable, why would I ever out myself through a second time?”

 

She turns on her heel and throws a short “Sorry,” over her shoulder.

 

* * *

 

She really did know how to get to her dorm.

 

It was the simplest things, even an idiot like her date could do it. Three blocks down from Starbucks, go in through the back door, give it a hard push while jimmying the knob, climb the stairs and walk to the third door on the left.

 

She’s folding her walking stick and wrapping a hand over the doorknob when she feels something collide with her stomach and make her stumble backwards. A muffled _oomph_ and some vague curses are heard before Regina blinks back her surprise and finds her voice.

 

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

 

“Shit. _Shit_ , listen it’s really not what it looks like,” a female voice carries through the hallway, high pitched and nervous. “I’m just _really_ don’t want to see my roommate naked again, okay?”

 

She hears feet shuffling and catches a whiff of something sharp, like coffee or food. Her mind catches up with what the girl is saying and instantly, her back stiffens and she raises an eyebrow.  

 

“ _‘It’s not what it looks like?_ ’ Is that a joke?” The girl stops shuffling and stays quiet for a beat, probably taking in her walking stick and her unfocused eyes, before she starts moving again.

 

“Shit, no. It isn’t. Look- I mean, _I’m sorry_.” The girl stops there, all awkward mumbling finally coming to a halt and Regina cringes at the _look_ again. Still, the girl stops her apology there, where as most would simply keep excusing themselves and start leaving awkwardly.

 

She stays still for a second, considering how to handle this, and after she takes a steadying breath, her anger almost making her incapable of speaking, she opens her mouth. 

 

“Were you trying to break into my room?”

 

“Okay, yes, but _hey_ , no-,” Regina makes an indignant sound at the back of her throat and the girl’s voice grows anxious, “hear me out. I heard some clacking and I thought it was the RA and I freaked out because I’m supposed to ‘stop crowding the halls with your filthy pillows, _Swan_.’” 

 

The girls’s voice rises in pitch and Regina has to admit that she captures the nasally, obnoxious voice of their hall’s RA perfectly. She takes a deep breath to interject, because there’s _no point_ to this story, when the girl interrupts in one long frenzied explanation. 

 

“I’ve been outside too many nights and if she caught me again I’d be fucked. I freaked out, tried the front door and- you’re apparently the only one with locks in this building? So I freaked out some _fucking more_ and tried picking the lock, which worked,” Regina huffs in annoyance again, “sorry! And then I sort of made out with your stomach when you bumped into me.” 

 

The girl is a little breathless as she finishes what is probably one of the weirdest retelling of events.

 

“That doesn’t explain why you’re out here. If you knew there’d be consequences, why would you do it?”

 

“Okay, you asked.” The girl takes a deep breath, “My roommate is having some seriously rough sex right now and I’ve already seen too much. I was asked to join and while I was tempted, it just seemed like too much work starting from the middle.”

 

Regina can feel her face coloring and she tries turning her head towards the door to mask it but judging by the girl’s tone at the end of her rant, she’s annoyingly aware she got a rise out of Regina.

 

“Well. Yes, that seems like a reasonable excuse. I would be out here as well if I were in your situation. Or better yet, I’d kick your roommate out.”

 

“Nah,” Regina hears the stranger plop herself down on the floor and directs her face towards her, “she’s not that bad when she’s not showing me her bare ass. Anyways, thanks for not calling security or something.”

 

“Yes, well.” Regina opens her dorm room and stops before going in, her mouth suddenly betraying her. “Would you like to wait for your roommate to be done somewhere less… pitiful?”

 

She doesn’t know what exactly prompted her to invite this perfect stranger inside her room, but she felt supposes it has to do with pity and nothing else. 

 

“Are you serious? Let me get my pillows.” The girl exclaims with excitement and Regina hears more shuffling before she feels some hair tickle her bare arms, closer to her elbow as the girl passes through the door; she makes note that this girl’s hair is by far longer than her own.

 

“I’m Emma, by the way. Emma Swan, front door roomie at your disposal.”

 

“Charming. Regina Mills, apparent savior.” Regina sets her bag down on the little chair beside the door, and points towards what she hopes Emma’s feet are.

 

“Shoes, if you don’t mind.”

 

“Oh, yeah, sure.” Emma seems to struggle out of her shoes for a second before a loud thump is heard at the corner of her little room.

 

“This is a really nice place. Cleaner than mine. I don’t have _that_ either. Man, can I come in here in the mornings for toast?”

 

Regina assumes she’s pointing to the toaster perched on her kitchen table and she tampers down a smile.

 

“Well, I assume all the sex you’re having can lead to an unsanitary room,” she says, ignoring Emma’s question. 

 

“Not everybody can remember to change the sheets after sex. I can’t even remember what I had for breakfast, honestly.” She hears Emma moving around, inspecting her tiny dorm room before she speaks up again. “No, that’s a lie, I had a poptart.”

 

Emma seems to keep relying _fascinating_ information as quickly as it wasn’t asked for.

 

“Poptarts can’t be considered a healthy breakfast. There’s a lot more you can eat that is just as fa-” Regina’s winding up to a speech she’s shared multiple times when Emma interrupts _yet again._

 

“Hey, you don’t have a roommate? Does it get a little lonely, or is that just what you wanted?”

 

Regina’s annoyance at being rudely interrupted is quickly replaced by her surprise of Emma’s interest. Mal never questioned her housing arrangements, thinking it was Regina’s choice to live alone. 

 

She doesn’t mind it, but she thinks it’d be nice to have a regular experience for once. 

 

“I- well, no. I enjoy it, yes- well, sometimes.” She stutters out, her cheeks tinting slightly again. She sends Emma what she hopes is a fierce glare, not enjoying the way the girl easily makes her react to the simplest of things. 

 

“I’m just asking. It doesn’t look like there was somebody else living here.” There’s pause and Regina doesn’t know she’s heading with this. “I’m pretty bored most of the time I’m at the dorm anyways. Maybe I’ll come here” Emma’s words, although meant to be kind with her apprehensive mumbling, reached Regina’s ears as condescending.

 

“You really don’t need to take pity on me. If I invited you here, it was simply as a one time offer, nothing more.”

 

“Oh. Well, honestly, I was just offering for the bo-” a rapper’s voice interrupted what Emma was saying and she quickly started searching for her phone. The ridiculous song blared on until she finally found it.

 

Regina stood tall as she regretted inviting this stranger inside her room. 

 

“ _Where the fu_ \- Hey, Rubes.” After some arguing and a quick goodbye, Regina heard Emma’s phone snap shut. She opened her mouth say anything, kick her out or demand an explanation, but the girl interrupted once more. 

 

“Well, thanks for saving my ass just this once. Didn’t mean to insult. See ya around, Regina.”

 

And she was gone.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think, please!

Regina stays still long after the closing door echoes in her room.

 

An uneasy feeling had settled low in her stomach as soon as Emma had gathered her shoes, and when the door closed slightly louder than she would have liked, she had startled. 

 

She still has to sort through the conversation and see if she had jumped at Emma too quickly or if she had read the girl’s invitation correctly and was justified in her aggression. 

 

Still, Emma really was a stranger and her feelings towards Regina’s comment shouldn’t interest the brunette at all. _But,_ she corrects herself, the college girl had proved she was capable of apologizing, something that others were quick to forget in their haste to hide their discomfort at realizing she was blind. 

 

She went through the conversation once more, not bothering to recognize that she was putting forth an effort she usually didn’t show in a stranger.

 

Had Emma offered to spend time here for both their benefit or had she felt pity for a blind college girl like others? Regina supposed it didn’t matter, since she wouldn’t be seeing Emma again after that exit. 

 

And yet…

 

If she ever ran into her again, she’d find out Emma’s intentions. Regina couldn’t afford interacting with people she wasn’t sure respected her, regardless of the amount of time she spent with them.

 

Nodding to herself and ignoring the uncomfortable feeling pooling at the pit of her stomach, she gets ready for bed.

 

 

 

* * *

It’s been a long day.

 

Regina folds her walking cane as she wearily makes her way to her door, a long, hot bath in her mind. Three classes and a meeting with her inept counselor, another meeting with her Student Council chapter and no time to eat had ran her to the ground. She’d have to be awake in a few short hours and all she wanted was to shower, eat and head to bed.

 

As she was feeling for the doorway, she noticed a faint sound coming from the floor again. Before she could unfold the cane, her foot hit something solid and the noise abruptly stopped with a choking sound. Thinking she had an idea who was at her door, Regina momentarily let her relief and nervousness flood her before speaking.

 

“Does your roommate really have this much sex?” She could feel herself smiling, her relief that Emma had no trouble crowding her door despite what happened a few nights ago overpowering the uneasiness she had originally felt towards Emma.

 

“I-what?” Emma rasped, sounding completely dazed. “Sorry, you just literally kicked me awake.” 

 

Emma’s low voice comes out muffled as if she’s putting one of her trusty pillows to good use, and before Regina can ask what she’s doing Emma added, “Here, brought you coffee. It’s cold now but I think I saw a microwave in there? I dunno.”

 

There’s a low groan and several bones crack as Emma tries to stand up, her her feet always making too much noise.

 

What little resentment Regina had towards this stranger slowly eased out of her, making her a little less heavy. She held on to the doubt, still not sure what Emma was trying to do, but she still felt a smile tugging at her lips.

 

“Oh.” Regina holds her hand out so Emma could place the cup near her, and Emma clumsily shoves the cup into her outstretched hand. “Have you been waiting for me?”

 

“Uh. Well, kinda.” Emma clears her throat twice, “I’m not stalking you or anything. Maybe a little bit. Uh- my roommate _needs_ the room again, and the library closed so I just decided to stay here and then I knocked on your door for a while, but you- uh you weren’t there. So, yeah.” 

 

There’s a certain amount of nervousness in the girl’s voice that makes Regina bite the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. She settles against the wall, her feet tired and sore from running around all day, and enjoys Emma stuttering. 

 

When Regina doesn’t respond, Emma grows more agitated and Regina only bites her cheek harder. 

 

“I, um, went down to get coffee and just- I thought you’d like some. I also got a muffin. And like, I only ate half of it. So yea, I thought I’d get you something since I was gonna bump into you…” Emma lets out a long breath before continuing and Regina decides to keep quiet for as long as Emma continues to fluster around.

 

“And, listen, about the other day. I completely understand how you could’ve thought I was just pulling your leg or some dick move like that but that’s _not_ what happened. I just- I’m here all the time anyways and I thought you’d like some company. Pretty straight forward. Or blunt, but I get if you thought it was too much. Anyways, yeah, thought I’d clear that up.”

 

Emma clears her throat, and drums her fingers on the hallway wall, apparently out of breath after her long winded speech. 

 

Regina’s amusement gives way to surprise as she realizes Emma understands that she might have thought the worst of her intentions. It’s baffling enough for Regina to open her mouth and close it several times. 

 

Now that Emma recognizes the unfortunate jump Regina made, she has a easier time saying her next words; she almost doesn’t flinch at all. 

 

“It’s not- _entirely_ your fault. I realize I jumped to an awful conclusion.” Regina stops there, not wanting to tip her hand and let Emma know that her apology is as comforting as her appearance after what happened. She hears Emma make what seemed an unnecessary amount of noise, grunting and whining as she bends to gather her things from the floor.

 

“Well, I get it. You want the muffin? It’s blueberry. I didn’t eat half of it, just some bites.” She admits, not hesitating in changing the topic.

 

“I-yes. Let me open the door first.” Regina balances the coffee cup and her walking cane in one hand while she takes the key out of her pocket, mentally shaking herself out of the startled change Emma made to the conversation. 

 

She seems to have putit behind them much more easily than Regina could ever do, and she thinks she has a little trouble catching up. 

 

Opening the door, and letting it hit the wall in her haste to turn to Emma, she stretches her hand out for the half eaten muffin and smiles lightly when Emma gently places it on her palm.

 

Regina hesitates by the doorway, hearing another bone pop before she takes a deep breath.

 

“Would you like to wait inside? I can’t eat half a muffin all by my self.” She ignores her rumbling stomach and how she’s almost toppling over in exhaustion.

 

“Sure.” She hears Emma chuckle and feels as she steps closer, her hair once again tickling her mid arm.

 

Regina crosses the doorway and heads for the little kitchen table she hauled all the way from home, and sets down her treats. She rearranges her schedule easily, telling herself she’ll shower in the morning and eat quickly before bed so as not to kick Emma out.

 

Taking the coffee and emptying in a mug, she wrinkles her nose as she places it inside the microwave. Normally, she would have been caught dead at reheating coffee, but she feels like she can make an exception at least for tonight. 

 

It seems like she’s making plenty of firsts when it comes to Emma., and she wonders if she should be worried. 

 

“What kind of coffee did you buy?” Regina moves with ease around her room, placing her books beside her bed and rearranging the shoes she’s left discarded in her morning haste.

 

“Oh, it’s a white mocha. I don’t know what you like so I just got you something I drink too. Hope that’s fine.” Emma’s voice came in an out of range as she seems to be struggling with something. After some grunts and a muffled _get it together, fuck,_ she stops shuffling around.

 

“That’s fine. Do you always struggle taking your shoes off or are you wearing knee high laced boots?”

 

“They’re not _knee-high_.” Emma whines. “They’re just difficult to take off without unlacing.”

 

“Oh, so you’re just lazy then.” Regina waits for the microwave to indicate the cup’s ready before moving to the table, suppressing a smirk the entire time.

 

“Ugh, I am _feeding_ you, lady- don’t make me regret it.”

 

She merely hums and settles against a chair, listening intently to see what Emma’s doing. She hears her shuffling forward, just as loud barefoot as she is in her boots. She guesses Emma was standing awkwardly in the middle of her room waiting for her to sit first and this time she can’t help the small smile that sprouts on her lips.

 

Emma scrapes the legs of the chair against the floor as she moves to sit and after a click of Regina’s tongue, picks the entire chair up and sits.

 

Breaking off a bit of the muffin and humming against the burnt little blueberries, she voices what has been on her mind since she collided against Emma. 

 

“How come I’ve never bumped into you if you’re always taking residence outside my door?” If Emma’s roommate really is as terrible as she claims she is, then Emma must frequent the hallway floor often.

 

“Nah, I’ve always seen you. I’m just always on the opposite wall and I’ve never mistaken your stick for the RA’s heels until the day I broke into your room. Which was a one time thing, _I swear._ ” Regina feels Emma’s fingers against hers for a second as she snatches the muffin from her hands.

 

“I thought I was the one being fed,” she says, making an indignant little squeal she’s not proud of.

 

“I was invited in to _eat_ this muffin and I honestly think it’s be too rude of me not to fulfill my purpose here.” Emma’s voice sounds lighter, as if the last word is said holding back a chuckle.

 

“Find your own snack, dear.” Regina can’t help but play along, and she’s too busy listening to Emma whine that she doesn’t notice her smile hasn’t dropped since she sat.

 

“Well, _dear_ , what do you have? Chips? Cookies?” Emma’s chair creaks a little as she seems to recline back on it.

 

“There’s some chips, yes. On top of the mini fridge, if you please.”

 

Emma huffs but scoots her chair back and goes off to search for the treat; Regina can hear the crinkling of the packaging as Emma picks it up.

 

“What the _hell_? Regina, are you fucking kidding me?” Despite Emma’s rather colorful language, Regina chuckles at her reaction. “Vegetable sticks- these aren’t chips, there’s already chips made from vegetables, Regina! Potatoes!”

 

Emma’s real anger only makes Regina smile wider, stifling her chuckling by sipping at her coffee. 

 

“These are so freaking gross, Regina, _ugh_.” Emma moves back to the table and dumps the bag down. “Is this how you’re so in shape? I mean, you look good, but at what cost?”

 

She can feel her cheeks warm up and soon, her chest will probably flare up as well. She thanks her dark complexion for the fact that it won’t be so noticeable. Gulping down coffee to hide her face, she notices with amusement that Emma’s angrily munching on the chips.

 

“They’re not so bad, really.” Regina says, completely ignoring the comment after she’s somewhat composed herself. She takes another sip of her coffee and is sad to see that she’s almost through with it.

 

“Regina.” Emma deadpans, her voice entirely too serious. “Why would you eat this when potato chips exist, _why_?” Emma sounds more slightly offended that she owns these chips but continues to eat them.

 

“I enjoy them. They’re nutritious and taste nice.”

 

“They taste like dirt.”

 

“Potatoes come from dirt, you know.”

 

“Ugh.” Emma can barely get the words out with how many chips she’s got in her mouth.

 

“If you don’t like them, why are you eating them?” She’s a little amused at how fast Emma’s going through the bag, considering what she’s eating. Regina props her head on her arm, already a little droopy.

 

“Oh, don’t get me wrong. These chips were spawned by the devil himself. It’s just- I’ve got Chem homework I don’t get so I went to the gym and I didn’t eat afterwards.” Emma spits out the word ‘Chem’ with such disdain that Regina actually, god forgive her, asks the next question.

 

“Are you having trouble with Chemistry?” She sounds entirely too eager, and she tampers down the excitement of the subject by clearing her throat. “I just- I rather enjoy the subject, maybe I could help.” 

 

After she realizes what she’s said, Regina can feel her chest warm up _again_ and she’s about to take it back when Emma exclaims,

 

“God, yes! Thank you, thank you, I hate Chem. It’s awful.” At this, Emma yawns with such force that Regina is actually inclined to the same, hiding it behind her mouth.

 

“Oh, crap, it’s late. Are you tired?”

 

Regina can already feel her feet straining in her sandals as she moves them around, and although she’d like to keep talking to Emma, she’s more than exhausted.

 

“What about your roommate?” She doesn’t necessarily want to kick Emma out, either, and with more than a little reluctance, she realizes she’s enjoying Emma’s company.

 

“Oh, she texted me a while ago saying, and I quote, that the room is bare ass free right now. I think it’s time I leave. You look like you’re going to fall into your coffee.”

 

Although she regrets saying it, Regina agrees with Emma. “Yes, I think it’d be best if we called it a night. If you’d like, you could come by tomorrow? For your Chemistry homework, of course.”

 

“Sure!” Emma stands up and heads to the door. “Thanks, Regina. This was fun. I’ll see you tomorrow!”

 

For the second time that week, Regina stands still after Emma bangs the door closed, wondering why she’s so reluctant for Emma to leave.

 


	3. Chapter 3

“Fourteen thirty six is your total. Would you like a receipt?” The young voice behind the counter seems friendly enough so as not to inform him that she won’t be needing a receipt she can’t read.

 

“Sure.” Regina hands him her card and gathers the two plastic bags in her arms. She’s in too much of a hurry (and in a good mood, though she doesn't want to think _why_ ) to argue or tear the young boy’s head off at the moment.

 

She hastily takes the receipt and the card back and stuffs them in her back pocket and hopes she didn’t make this deviation on her way to her dorm for nothing. 

 

Her classes had ended an hour ago but without knowing Emma’s schedule and not wanting to seem like she was waiting for the girl (which she _was_ \- not that she’d let Emma know), she decided it’d be a good idea to do some grocery shopping in the mean time.

 

She spent a little too long asking an employee about the different types of chips on aisle nine, and so now she was rushing in case Emma couldn’t find her and left.

 

She walks as fast as she can without actually running and she might have tripped some rather innocent people in her haste. She hears every variation of “Watch it!” thrown at her until she slips through the back door of her building.

 

Without meaning to, she finds herself wishing for Emma to be perched outside her door but as she’s taking her keys out of her pocket, she neither hears, nor feels the rambunctious girl. 

 

With a little sigh of disappointment she’s not even aware she lets out, she lets herself inside her room and walks straight to her table, not bothering to close the door yet. 

 

She slips out of her sandals and walks dejectedly to the door, when she hears a soft _shit_ muttered nervously. 

 

Before she can process it’s _Emma’s_ voice, something solid collides against the entire length of her body, sending her head back with the impact. She feels two hands at her waist steadying her while Emma stumbles backwards and Regina’s hand instinctively find their way to a warm waist.

 

The first thing Regina feels, other than throbbing pain right between her eyes, is the muscles beneath the thin shirt Emma’s wearing. 

 

The second thing she notices is the now familiar tendrils of hair that always find themselves curled around her arms whenever Emma’s too close, as well as the realixzation that Emma’s a good inch taller than her.  

 

The last thing Regina notices is that Emma, a girl she has come to associate with food and sweaty gym workouts, smells rather nice, like leather and soap with a tinge of fruit. Realizing that she’s checking Emma out as well as she could have without sight, Regina drops her arms quickly and clears her throat after the lengthy silence. 

 

“Why is it that every time we meet, we literally collide against each other?” It takes Emma a second longer to drop her arms from Regina’s waist, but when she does, Regina takes a small step backwards.

 

“It’s not my fault you left your door open!” Emma’s voice is stained and high pitched, and Regina smirks. “I stepped out to check if you were the one making all that noise and I invited myself in. Didn’t even bring shoes, hear this.” 

 

Emma makes to run in place, if Regina hears correctly, as the only thing she can make out is the thud of Emma’s bare foot hitting the floor repeatedly. “I’m sorry I ran into to you, though. I was about to tell you I was here when you turned around and _whoops_ , I almost cracked my head against yours.”

 

Regina lets out a little breathy laugh at Emma’s exaggeration before replying, “Well, no harm done, at least one of us still has functioning head.”

 

“Oh, _ha ha_. Are you hungry? I bought pizza-“ Emma cuts herself off, and Regina’s brow scrunches in confusion. “I left it in the room.” She whispers with such dread that Regina almost laughs. 

 

“What?” 

 

“ _Fuck_. Okay.” Emma takes a deep breath. “Okay, I left the pizza in the room with Rubes and this other girl. Which means they’re probably already at it again.” Another pause and Regina has an idea of what’s about to come out of the girl’s mouth. “Regina? _Hey_ , Regina what if-”

 

“No. Absolutely not.” She shakes her head and tries her best to deepen her scowl. 

 

“What are we going to eat?! I can’t do homework with an empty stomach or with another mental picture of-“ Emma makes likes she’s shuddering, even clanking her teeth together. “Come _on_ , Regina-”

 

“No. I can’t believe you’re actually asking.”

 

“ _Ugh_ ,” Emma stretches her when until Regina rolls her eyes. “I’m sorry- fine. ” Emma walks past Regina and throws herself on the bed, the mattress straining under the sudden jump.

 

“If you won’t get it, I’l have to see this new girl on her knees, probably, and I really like this girl, like on a _I don’t want to see her boobs before I know her name_ kind of way.” Emma’s voice comes out muffled and Regina suspects she’s taken over her pillows as well.With a roll of her eyes, Regina wonders just how quickly Emma became comfortable in her dorm room.

 

“Tough luck, dear. I’m not going. How awkward would it be for a stranger to interrupt… _intercourse_ and ask for the box of pizza?”

 

“Fuck. Okay, do you have a tie or something?” The bed strains, the springs creaking as Emma moves. “I need your help. Your gonna tie it around my eyes so I don’t see _anything_ and then I’m gonna go in and ask for the pizza. And you’re gonna guide me because I’m probably going to fall. Okay? _Alright_. Let’d do this shit.”

 

Regina stays quiet for a second, the tempting action of rolling her eyes for the tenth time forgotten as she tries too figure out if Emma’s joking or not.

 

“That is _completely_ childish. Why not just go and knock and ask her to step outside for a moment?” Regardless of the nature of the plan, Regina moves to her closet and lets her fingers ski though a few fabrics before choosing her thickets scarf. 

 

“She won’t do it. You have to physically interrupt. Here.” Emma moves again, the bed compelling loudly and Regina gingerly reaches out to figure out what she meant. When her hand hits soft hair, she gets the message and kneels behind Emma, wrapping the scarf around her head.

 

“May I ask what color your hair is?” She closes her mouth with an audible snap, instantly regretting her slip.

 

“Oh, I’m blonde. I was a redhead for a while, but I’m naturally like a really light blondish color and I missed it. So I dyed it this bright yellow color that I like.”

 

“Oh.” Regina tries putting together what she knows about Emma, a pleasant image forming in her mind. Her cheeks tinting, she clears her throat, “I don’t know what color I would have pegged you for.”

 

“Yeah. I don’t know, I like the color.” 

 

“I’m sure it looks nice, dear.” With one last pat to Emma’s head and a single low sigh, Regina moves away from the bed.

 

“Let’s do this then.” Emma stands and immediately trips over nothing. She gasps dramatically and clutches at Regina’s arm before straightening herself. Hanging on to regina’s arm for dear life, they make their way to the door.

 

“This is highly inappropriate and even slightly _insulting_ , Miss Swan.”

 

“Miss Swan? Jeez, okay. I’m sorry, I’m not trying to offend you or mock you, I just really, _really_ , don’t want to go in there and it seemed easy to ask you.” She winds down from her apology and takes a deep breath, “I’m sorry, we can stop, if you’d like?” 

 

Emma sounds entirely too worried that she crossed again yet again, and Regina doesn’t have the heart to tell her that she might have been joking. It’s easier to let Emma put her foot in her mouth, especially since she’s enjoying how flustered she gets.

 

“No, no. I was merely pulling your leg.”

 

“ _Agh_ , okay. This is how it’s going to go. You’re gonna knock, and then you’re going to stand behind me and if you smell even the slightest bit of whipped cream or any kind of sweet shit that isn’t pizza, you get me the hell out of there, okay? No man left behind.” Emma's voice drops to a low whisper as soon as they’re out the door, and Regina finds it amusing if not a little bit childish how seriously Emma’s taking this.

 

“Why do _I_ have to knock? You can just do it, you’re right in front of the door now.” Regina untangles her arm from Emma’s and slithers silently to the side of the door, where she’s sure the roommate won’t be able to see her.

 

“Because it’s about _team work_ , Regina.” Emma whispers fast, “Did you move? Are you hiding next to the door?!”

 

“ _No_.” Regina makes sure not to move, but she feels Emma whip her arms frantically until one collides with her stomach, giving her location away.

 

“Regina! _No man left behind_!”

 

“Dammit, Emma just knock already!” Regina whispers back just as furiously.

 

“I can’t believe it, if we were soldiers at war right now, you would have made a terrible partner!” Emma’s whisper sounds more insulted than amused and Regina blows air out of her cheeks.

 

“Well, yes because I’m _blind_!” She throws her arms up in an exasperated move when the door suddenly creaks opens.

 

“Emma?” A young female voice suddenly reaches Regina’s ears and she slams herself against the wall next to the door quickly. “What the hell are you doing? Oh. Is this _Regina_?”

 

Regina slowly turns to the source of the voice and extended her arm, defeated and read to shake Emma’s roommate’s hand.

 

“Uuuh.” She hears Emma shuffle nervously, “Ruby, I’m here for the pizza so if you could kindly place it on my hands, we’ll be gone and let you continue what _ever_ you’re doing.” Ruby, ignoring the blonde completely, shakes Regina hands enthusiastically. 

“He _llo_ , Regina. I hear you’re Emma’s new BFF now. Wanna come in?” Before Regina can process that Emma talks about her to Ruby, or that Ruby invited her inside, Emma jumps in and frantically adds,

 

“No, no, we’re fine, just here for the pizza.”

 

“Ow, Emma stop- _ow_. Fine!” The door closes with a bang and is immediately flung open, nearly hitting Regina in the face as she takes a tentative step backwards, not wanting to take any risks.

 

“Come by again, Regina! We’ve got lots to talk about.” Regina nods mutely, too starstruck too talk and something sharp bumps into her arm, probably the pizza box. 

 

“Regina? Take my arm. Let’s get the hell out of here, I smell strawberries.”

.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a really long wait, I know and this isn't even the new chapter, it's part four and five that I posted on tumblr BUT I'm halfway done with the new chapter!! I'm sorry for the wait!

Regina holds fast to Emma’s arm, already worried that she might smack herself against a wall if Emma’s really as clumsy as she says she is. After tripping twice in the small distance between the doors, Regina blows air through her cheeks and attempts to maneuver the both of them to _safety_.

 

As they make their way into the room, Emma _whoops_ loudly and bounces a little, which make Regina realize she’s still holding on to the blonde’s arms. She quickly lets go and spins on her heel to close the door.

 

There’s a loud noise that indicates Emma’s dropped the box on her kitchen table, then more noise as Emma tries to take her shoes off without slipping to the ground. 

 

The three short days Emma’s spent in her room had accustomed Regina to how loud and lively the blonde is, something Regina’s painfully aware of every time Emma leaves and the room goes still again.

 

Emma opens the pizza box as Regina walks back to the table, sitting gingerly as the cardboard box scratches against itself.

 

“Oh my God, this is so- _so_ fucking good.” Emma pauses in the middle of her sentence and the rest is mumbled around food.

 

Although Regina’s accustomed to the noise, three days are _not_ enough for her not to cringe every time she hears Emma swear. Regina supposes she could spend a year in Emma’s presence and still not raise her eyebrows in surprise to the vulgarity.

 

“Here, try some. It’s half pepperoni, half meat lovers because I didn’t know what you liked. Which one?” Emma swallows loudly and drops something in front of her; reaching out feels the thick material of a cardboard plate.

 

“I like either, really.” And she really does, it’s just that she usually does not indulge in such appetizing treats.

 

“Okay, cool. Have two.” Emma tears off the pizza and places it on the plate before sliding it closer to Regina. “So, what classes are you taking?”

 

“Don’t talk with your mouth full, dear.” Regina lightly scolds her.

 

Emma groans but chews rapidly and swallows dramatically loud before a little choking noise comes from the back of her throat.

 

“Oh, God _no_.” Emma’s slight coughing turns to throat wrenching coughs that are muffled by Emma’s hand slapping the table repeatedly.

 

Regina stood at the same time Emma threw her chair back and cussed in between each cough.

 

“Fuuuuuuu-” Emma begins dry heaving and Regina quickly walks to her direction, bumping into the table and a chair twice before she can give Emma a big slap on the back.

 

Emma’s breathing stutters for a secondbefore she takes a deep breath and immediately exclaims, “Jesus _Christ,_ Regina, you almost killed me!”

 

Now that Emma isn’t dying in the middle of her dorm room, Regina crosses her arms and relaxes a bit.

 

“ _Killed_ you? I just saved you!” Regina cries indignantly, her hand still settled lightly agains Emma’s back.

 

“I was choking on a tiny little piece of meat and wanted to take it out, not slap it out of me!” Emma’s voice is the slightest bit hoarse and low.

 

“Regardless of how dramatic you were being, which you _were_ , I helped.Would you like some water?” Regina offers, slightly distracted by Emma’s hair under her hand. She moves to the mini fridge and rummages for a cold bottle.

 

“You’re calling _me_ dramatic?!” Regina thinks Emma’s stood up, but without the familiar sound of her chair squeaking against the floor, she’s not sure.

 

“Well, yes. I thought you were halfway dead.” Her hand closes around a bottle at the very back and she walks back to the table, careful not to bump into another chair. 

 

“Aw, were you worried about me?” Emma sounds too close, and before she can figure out just how close, Emma’s hair is tickling her cheek as she bumps into her again. 

 

Emma takes the water after her fingers graze her hip for the second time, and rushing past her to hide her heated cheeks, Regina sits at the table.

 

Emma follows and soon the incident is forgotten as they talk about their classes.

 

“So, you’re taking classes for political science? That’s so cool! Are you gonna be a lawyer or something? I bet you’d be great at it _and_ look great in a suit.” Emma throws the compliment out with ease, the words rolling off her tongue without a second thought, as if casually complimenting a friend (?) is a daily occurrence.

 

Despite trying her hardest, Regina feels the slow, excruciating warmth rising in her cheeks.

 

“I- well, no. I mean, yes. I mean- I want to pursue a career in politics, be it a lawyer and move up to become a mayor, governor, etc. The goal is to become a political figure head amongst minorities.” Regina finishes her career plan with a practiced flourish, having explained many times just _how_ a disabled woman can rise in rank.

 

“Oh, that’s pretty interesting. What kind of work do you want to focus on? I know there’s s lot of problems with minorities but which one would you be working with, mainly?” Emma’s earnest voice sends a little pleased shiver up her spine, and Regina delves into the world of politics, starting with the lack of programs for the disabled lower class and moving on to the struggles of second generation immigrants.

 

It’s all rather interesting for Regina, having Emma sit in front of her and physically be able to feel how furiously she nods along to her little rant. Emma occasionally makes noises in the right places and Regina’s inclined and pleasantly encouraged to continue her explanation of what exactly she wanted to do.

 

“And so, if I play my cards just right, I could possibly become District Attorney have even more influence and credibility in order for me to run for office.” Regina ends her step by step process of what she hopes to accomplish after graduating.

 

“Jesus, it seems like you’ve got it all figured out. It seems like you’re the type of person ready for DC." 

 

“That _is_ what I’m hoping for. What about you- what are you studying for?”

 

Emma drums her fingers on the table twice before clearing her throat and hesitantly beginning.

 

“I wanted to be a social worker. I actually got a few classes in before I decided to change my major- so, I’m now criminal justice.” Emma ends proudly, a smile reflecting on the slight tilt of her voice.

 

“Social work? What made you change?” Although Regina’s barely finding out about Emma, social work and criminal justice seem like the type of career Emma would choose.

 

“Oh- yeah, I didn’t feel like I could make much of a difference. People need someone with authority they can trust, you know? A social worker can only do so much protecting once a person’s out of their hands.” She says passionately, and Regina hears something in her voice she can’t quite place. “So, I changed majors to criminal justice and I want to become like a high ranking captain. Possibly work with the feds.” 

 

Once Emma catches wind of Regina listening, her voice becomes more animated and higher, booming and bouncing against the walls and making Regina irresistible to the smile that starts twitching at her mouth.

 

She starts explaining the type of majors the FBI is interested in, admitting that criminal justice isn’t one of them, but shamelessly continuing, finding more opportunity and calling to her major.

 

“So like, then the whole Silver Platter policy happened and now cops ha- shit, it’s _ten_. Jesus, I’m sorry I’ve been talking for too long.” Emma abruptly closes her mouth, suddenly sheepish at spending so much time talking about something she seems not to talk about often.

 

“It’s fine, dear.” Regina was quick to reassure, her voice surprisingly low and husky. She clears het throat quickly and adds, “We do need to start on your homework soon, if you want to have it done by tonight.” Regina’s reluctant to have Emma stop talking, she realizes with a small flutter in her heart, but she’s also eager to help her and have her stay a little longer.

 

“I’ll get my books. What chapter did you say you were on?” Regina quickly stands up and moves to the end of the bed where her books are stacked up. She’s feeling for the familiar bumps along the spine, reading with her fingers when Emma sheepishly says,

 

“Actually. It’s kind of a lot. Like _a lot_. Like I won’t finish it in an hour. And I’ve seen you yawn like three times already.” Emma points out much to Regina’s mild embarrassment.

 

Regina makes sure not to drop her shoulders significantly, but Emma quickly adds, “I just don’t want to keep you up. Your class tomorrow is early, right? Mine’s at 8. Maybe you can help me tomorrow? If it’s not too much.”

 

Emma seems as reluctant as Regina for her to leave, and she feels a little thrill of surprise pass through her before she tries to say as casually as possible,

 

“I wouldn’t be opposed, no. I get out of class at 3 tomorrow. Why don’t we meet at the library so as not to derail too much from the homework?” Regina tries not to answer quickly, but still trips over her words. 

 

Emma stands and she hears her shuffling, and Regina already knows she’s cleaning the table up. When she’s finished, 

 

“Ugh, thank you.” Emma says as they move together to the door, “We started on molality and molarity and who was the creative bastard that came up with those names? I mean, Regina, one is a little m and the other is a big M, I fucking hate it. I mean, I _get_ the difference, but I hate it.” 

 

Regina’s lips twitched upwards as Emma’s voice rises in pitch and volume, making it hard for her to hide her amusement.

 

“And then he gets to class and says, ‘Oh, I forgot your test, we’ll just take it Friday, okay bye!’ Ugh. Stupid ass mother fu-” 

 

“Alright, dear, I get it.” Regina’s lips are curled over her teeth as she smiled widely at Emma for a second.

 

“Um- where’s your class? Humanities building?” Emma stutters for a brief second at the beginning there but instead of questioning her, she answers,

 

“Yes, second floor A 2315. Why?”

 

“So I can pick you up, duh.” Emma shifts a little and after small thud, Reina realizes she’sleaning against the door.

 

“I _do_ know how to get to the library without assistance.” Regina sniffs regally and stands taller, while Emma pauses for a second and says, 

 

 “Well, again- _duh_. I can still walk you, right?” Emma’s friendly, and surprisingly understanding voice calms Regina’s worry that Emma might see her as incapable of doing simple things.

 

 “Oh. Sure, yes. We can head over there from my class room, yes.” Regina babbles a little, unsure what to say.

 

 “Great. See you, then. Goodnight, Regina.” Emma places a gentle hand on her elbow before opening the door and stepping out in the hallway. The door is closed win it’s usual bang before Emma can hear Regina’s softly spoken words.

 

 “Goodnight, dear.”

 

It doesn’t occur to her until later that Emma had not given Regina her scarf back.

 

*

 

Regina’s up earlier than usual that morning. Her morning classes don’t begin until 10 that morning, and she’s usually up by 8 to finish her morning routine. Unable to sleep longer due to some anxious (excited?) summersaults in her stomach, Regina showers and dresses with more early and is put the door before the she’s usually even awake.

 

She’s turning her key when the door behind her bangs open, startling her and almost making her drop the key, and out flies Emma cursing loudly.

 

“Regina!” Emma’s sudden flurry of loud boots and closing zippers (her backpack, Regina assumes) stops in front of Regina.

 

“Good morning, dear. Aren’t you supposed to be in class?” Regina smirks at Emma’s slightly breathless groan.

 

“Yup, I’m fucking late. I’ll see you at three, Regina, bye!” Emma’s boots hit the hallway floor hard as runs towards the stairs. 

 

Regina stands still for a while before calling out,

 

“You have my scarf!” She can still hear Emma’s boots as she finishes yelling across the hall.

 

“It looks good on me!” Emma cackles as she opens the exit door to the stairs and Regina lets out a low chuckle and shakes her head.

 

She finishes closing up and as she’s walking towards the stairs, she realizes she hadn’t stopped smiling since she ran into Emma, and with a quick shake to her head, she instructs the summersaults in her stomach to settle down.

 

*

 

Regina is _ready_.

 

Her books are in her bag, which is perched at the edge of the desk, ready to be whisked off the second the professor stops talking. Her walking cane is extended, resting against her palm as she taps her foot impatiently. It’s the last minutes before class ends, the professor is recapping his notes and while Regina is usually interested in what he’s saying, she can’t wait to leave her seat.

 

Today, she had been wanting to leave since she sat. Emma is going to meet her outside of her classroom and if she wasn’t one of the first ones out, Regina feared she could be missed among the dozen of students in the hallway.

 

It wasn’t that Regina was nervous, or excited, it was that Emma was an… _acquaintance_ , somebody fun to be around. And it was perfectly rational to want to be around such a person, Regina reminds herself and lets the matter drop. For now.

 

“Alright- I’ll see you all next class. Make sure to read.” Regina’s out of her seat in a second, expertly evading desks and students as she makes her way to the door.

 

She opens the door and slowly walks down the hallway, hoping to hear Emma call her name or let her know she’s there. Still, she’s surprised surprised when she feels a warm hand above her elbow squeeze once before linking arms with her, and Regina’s about to pull away in alarm when Emma leans close to her ear, the deafening noise of students packing and leaving classrooms already overpowering the hallways.

 

“Hey! Let’s get out of here, yeah?” Emma’s breath tickles her ear, sending goosebumps around her hairline. Regina smiles lightly and nods, lets herself be led by Emma, who has yet to let go of her arm. Every so often, Emma presses against the entire side of her body when the student mass thickens, and Regina’s forced to chant _acquaintance_ in her mind until the next wave of students is evaded.

 

Emma ends up leading her outside, the warm breeze hits her skin at the same time as a familiar fabric smack her against the face.

 

“Oh, whoops,” Emma giggles, removing what Regina recognizes as the material of her scarf. Emma brushes back some of the loose hair that fell across her eyes, and tries flatting it out as they walk.

 

“Is that my scarf?” Regina lets Emma’s fingers linger on her hairline before talking.

 

“I told you it looked great on me. It’s so soft, actually. Where’d you get it?” Regina is momentarily surprised at the quick ease the blonde just _took_ over parts of her life, and how easily Regina let it slide past her.

 

“Hm, It’s one of my favorites. I got it back home.” Emma tugs on Regina’s intertwined arm and the pair turn left.

 

“Where are we going? This isn’t the way to the library.” Regina can hear the bustle of people moving around, people yelling and walking past them.

 

“Oh- yeah. I take a short cut. We’re gonna pass a coffeeshop, you want something?” Emma presses her body against Regina’s again and she stutters a little , something a Mills is _never_ allowed to do, before she says yes.

 

“Cooool.” Emma stretches the word out until she’s hissing through her teeth and walks a little faster, making Regina catch up with her.

 

The little bell tinkles as they enter the coffee shop and Regina wrinkles her nose as she remembers the last time she was here.

 

“I had an awful date here a week ago. Truly despicable man.” Emma stops at what Regina guesses is the beginning of the line.

 

“You’re…into guys?” Regina swallows hard at the disappointment in Emma’s voice, unsure if she misheard or is making things up in her mind.

 

“What?” Regina doesn’t know what to say in the middle of Starbucks with people all around them, and she doesn’t know when Emma loosened her hold on her arm. She holds on fast, not willing to let her arm slip away, and Emma gets the message, pressing herself closer to Regina.

 

“Forget I asked. Totally inappropriate.” Regina knows Emma didn’t mean to pry so easily, and she stays quiet wondering how much she’s willing to share.

 

She finds she isn’t all that put off by Emma’s blurted out questions, because that’s what… _acquaintances_ do, get to know each other. And so she plans what she’s going to say, with Emma’s arm still laying lightly on her elbow. She’s surprised when Emma’s normally invasive hair is not tickling her arm.

 

“Did you put your hair up?” Regina blurts out, and Emma startles before chuckling a little.

 

“Yeah, I didn’t shower. Had to pin it up or else people would’ve judged you for walking with me.” Emmabumps her hip to Regina’s and Regina smiles widely. She notes that she has yet to figure out what Emma looks like, if her hair is really unkempt, or if her arms are the same shade as her face. For some unknown reason, Regina is fascinated by Emma’s appearance she can’t see.

 

They get to the top of the line soon enough, and she hears Emma order a scone and some sort of fruity tea that reminds her of her date. She pauses and asks Regina what she wants, and Regina orders the first coffee Emma bought her.

 

Emma somehow get’s her money all without detaching from her, and Regina finds that it’s ridiculous how much she’s enjoying the contact.

 

They wait for their drinks in silence, with Emma already chewing on her scone and offering Regina some, going as far as bumping it to her closed lips. 

 

“Order for Emma!” They sit at the very back, Regina going over her carefully calculated answer to Emma’s previous question.

 

“So. Tell me about this date. How horrible was he, from spilling your drink to accidentally killing your cat. Both have happened to me.” Emma makes a noise of delight as she sips from her cup, the slurping noise loud despite barely drinking from it.

 

“Wait- Regina you have to try this. Here.” Regina feels something hit her jaw and she scowls as she realizes Emma has a habit of forcing Regina to eat _anything_. 

 

“I don’t like the passion tea. It’s gross and my date ordered it for me.”

 

“Oh- _that’s_ gross. You’ll like it this time, I swear.” Regina purses her lips at Emma’s hopeful tone, but lowers her head to where she can feel the straw poking her.

 

The tea is still sweet enough for Regina to scrunch up her face, to which Emma actually giggles, but there’s a slightly more bitter taste to it than before. Regina rises her eyebrows and Emma squeals a little, so low she normally wouldn’t even have caught it.

 

“It’s _decent_ enough. Better than my dates.” Emma takes back her drink settles against the chair, her voice sounding further away.

 

“You bet I am.” Emma’s teeth clank against each other as she closes her mouth in surprise, and Regina stays frozen for a second.

 

“I wasn’t aware this was a date, but yes, I suppose you’re passing.” Regina gets the words out with as much confidence as she can, and she can hear Emma lean against the table as she inclines towards Regina.

 

“Really? What would I have to do to get a second date?” Emma’s voice lowers towards the end, and Regina may be oblivious to many things in the world, but she knows flirting.

 

“I’ll let you know.” Regina smirks and Emma laughs a little. All in all, Regina doesn’t know what she’s doing with her acquaintance who is definitely not just that, but she finds that she doesn’t want to worry about it just yet.

 

Emma laughs again and soon she’s steering the conversation from the topic Regina wants to talk about, and so she blurts it out in the middle of Emma’s long winded explanation of how her cat died.

“I’m bi. Bisexual. Uh- bi.” And then Emma reaches out, to say something or hold her hand, regina’s not sure as she’s distracted by the hot coffee spilling over the edge of the table and splattering her feet painfully.

 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of fluff, not a lot of plot, yay?

“Fuck. _Fuck,_ I am so-” Emma lunges across the table at the same time Regina scrapes her chair back, the coffee searing through the opening of her sandals and burning her feet.

 

She shakes her foot around trying to keep the grimace off her face while Emma gets up quickly from her chair, the legs shrieking against the linoleum.

 

“Oh, my god. Worst date, I know- Jesus, it’s red. _Holy shit._ ” Emma continues babbling and apologizing as she nears Regina. She’s feeling around the table for napkins or anything when Emma’s suddenly at her feet, dabbing napkins on her foot and blowing ridiculously on it. 

 

The blonde places a hand on Regina’s knee to balance herself and if her foot weren’t dripping with hot coffee or if Emma weren’t attempting to cool down her foot by _blowing_ on it, Regina might have blushed profusely. Not that she isn’t blushing _now_ , with a certain fit blonde kneeling in front of her, with her warm hand resting on her thigh, she was just blushing _lightly_.

 

“Can I take your shoe off? I’m so sorry, really- this happened to me once and I mean, I still slept with the girl but-”

 

“Dear, just- stand up.” Regina stutters, her blush deepening. “It’s fine now, really. It just splattered a little.” Emma takes her palm off Regina’s thigh and she instantly misses the warmth.

 

She shakes her foot again, making sure it isn’t stinging more than it should and scoots her chair back to the table.

 

“Okay well- um. Let me just go talk to someone to uh, clean this up. And get another coffee?”

 

“Yes, that would be nice.” Regina smoothes a hand down her lap, suddenly shy and awkward around the blonde.

 

“Okay- yeah.” Emma’s gone for several minutes while someone comes over and cleans the mess on the floor. 

 

_Maybe_ the middle of a coffee shop isn’t the right place tell Emma.

 

The sound of a cup being placed in front of her alerts Regina of the blonde’s presence again, and she sits a little straighter. She can feel her face barely heating up just by hearing Emma’s awkward throat clearing, one, twice before the blonde sighs and plays with her own cup.

 

“I didn’t mean to startle you so much. I just thought you’d be interested in knowing.” Regina’s mouth shuts close after that, the words only coming out through strained effort. She’s already regretting coming by the coffee shop with Emma, or spilling her most concealed secret. 

 

She’s cursing Emma’s entire existing the longer she stays quiet, wishing never having invited her into her dorm or felt her toned arms, or that one time she accidentally sniffed her hair on purpose, when Emma speaks. 

 

“Uh. No?” 

 

Regina tries not to shift in her seat, the need to flee out of this embarrassing situation nearly enough to make her squirm a little. Emma must sense her discomfort, or at the very least notice her crestfallen expression because she starts shouting.

 

“No! I mean- _yes_ , I’m interested. Like, super interested. But I don’t care that you’re, uh, into both, you know? I’m usually a lot smoother than this, Jesus.”

 

Regina lets out a relieved chuckle, not realizing that she was a lot more attached to Emma in a rather non acquaintance matter than she’d let herself admit. 

 

“Well, I’m glad I have your blessing, dear.”

 

“No, _no_ I didn’t mean it like that.” The sound of nails scraping against something reaches Regina’s ears, and she realizes that Emma’s running her hands agitatedly through her hair. “I meant that, like, I’m not one of those people who-” 

 

Regina chuckles a little more loudly and effectively cuts out the beginning of what was going to be an adorable rambling monologue.

 

“You’re messing with me, aren’t you!” Emma’s voice holds enough amazement and joy to make Regina laugh louder. She nudges Regina’s foot underneath the table and giggles a little. 

 

Regina feels something like contentment expand and settle low in her chest; what was once fluttering indecision, insecurity and anxiety now turning into encouragement and bravado. The feeling only makes her smile more broadly, making her canines sit tightly over her stretched out lips.

 

“I can’t help it; you’re adorable when you’re all-“ she waves her hand around with flourish, “flustered,” Regina ends with another rich laugh.

 

That’s all the validation Emma needed, it seemed, to turn the charm up a notch. She hooks her foot over Regina’s calf and tugs a little.

 

“Adorable, huh? I guess I’ll bear the burden of that if it makes your face do that.”

 

“Do what?” Regina quips, easily falling into the ridiculous of the conversation.

 

“That pretty thing you’re doing,” the blonde says lightly, her voice high in anticipation.

 

“What, _smiling_? You’re really bad at this, you know?” Regina leans forward, her head in her hand, and rolls her eyes. Out of all the corny and poorly delivered lines, that was by far one of the worst.

 

“Well, you’re still smiling, aren’t you?” And indeed Regina was grinning like an idiot. She tries pulling the corners of her lips down, to resemble a somewhat sane person who isn’t flirting terribly in the middle of a coffee shop, but Emma’s laughter only makes her smile wider and more freely.

 

Regina swirls her coffee with her free hand and relishes in the carefree atmosphere. She knows she’ll go back to her dorm and analyze the conversation, pore through every sentence  Emma said and try to figure out if she jumped the line between acquaintances and something more. And if she even truly wanted to. She liked to think she made the first move, but it could easily be misinterpreted, as Emma’s ‘interested’ quip, well- that could mean she was interested in her as an acquaintance as well, right?

 

She wishes she could see Emma’s face now, if her face looks as warm as Regina’s feels, if she’s leaning into the table or if she’s looking back at her with something akin to more.

 

For now, she settles for the way she feels Emma’s foot rest lightly against hers, and the way she can feel the blonde looking at her.

 

Maybe, just maybe, Emma isn’t interested in being just acquaintances.

 

The two finish their drinks slowly. Regina admittedly drinks more of Emma’s tea and when she hears the loud slurping noise that indicates she’s unknowingly finished it, she hears Emma laugh at the quick way Regina flushes. They share Regina’s coffee after that and Regina takes extra pleasure in brushing her fingers over Emma’s knuckles every time the cup is passed back and forth.

 

Excluding one spilt coffee, one burnt foot, and _atrocious_ flirting (which pleases Regina more than she’s willing to admit) Regina deems the night a perfectly adequate date. Emma believes so as well, and she tells her so when they’re exiting the coffee shop.

 

“So, this definitely _is_ better than your last date, right? Can’t get better than a burnt foot.”

 

Emma’s pressed neatly to her side and the warm afternoon air makes the fabric of her shirt stick to her sides uncomfortably. Despite this, Regina enjoys having the blonde by her arm; the way their feet clumsily hit each other as they try to maneuver their way back makes Regina smile wider, and Emma’s hair tickling the inside of her elbow only makes her more content. 

 

She chuckles at Emma’s comment, unwilling to respond with more than a simple hum.

 

“Aw, come on! I was like, a total gentleman,” Emma whines, her voice high and sharp. Regina stifles a laugh.

 

“A true gentleman wouldn’t look for validation.” Emma’s shoulders slump next to hers and Regina nudges her gently. “But yes, it was…adequate.”

 

Regina’s jostled around slightly when Emma whoops in delight, and it takes Regina a couple of seconds to realize the blonde actually fist pumped the air. She shakes her head and tugs at Emma’s arm to walk faster. 

 

Soon enough they find themselves inside the library and Regina tries shushing Emma in vain as the blonde rants loudly about her hiding spots. Regina climbs the stairs first and Emma’s rant turns to stuttering and coughing and Regina’s sure she trips more than once before they stop.

 

“I usually-uh, do my homework here. We’re on the third floor, right by the dance books so like, nobody tries to steal my corner here because there’s not a lot of people around. It’s _great_. Here, sit, sit.” Emma blabbering becomes actual physical guiding, and Regina sits in one of the most comfortable chairs she sat in.

 

“I don’t usually come by here to study. I rather enjoy my room, it’s the same when you can’t see what’s around you.” Regina shrugs casually and begins unpacking her books.

 

“I get that. I really like it, the chairs are comfortable, nobody bothers me, except Ruby when we haven’t seen each other in a while, but that’s okay.” Emma’s voice is right at her level now and the two are seated next to each other in the table. She feels around and hits a wall separating her cubicle from Emma’s.

 

“Yeah, there’s a study group room somewhere around here, if these bother you?” Emma rapped her knuckles on the wood and Regina shakes her head, eager to get started. 

 

“No, here’s fine. It’s nice, this little hiding spot.”

 

“You should come up here with me! When you have homework, or whatever. I always sneak in coffee and doughnuts.” Emma sounds excited by the idea, even going as far as jostling Regina’s arm around.

 

“That’d be nice, dear.” What was truly amazing with Emma, what was starting to drive Regina’s never ending stream of stomach butterflies wild, is that she couldn’t _stop_ smiling around the blonde. A simple invitation has Regina thinking of ways to surprise Emma during her breaks, or staying late nights studying while the two conversed. The blonde truly is getting inside her head.

 

“Okay- _so_.” Emma drops what Regina suspects are a couple of notebooks into the desk. “Let’s start with this crap.”

 

Regina hums happily and begins asking general questions. Before long, she knows exactly what Emma’s having trouble with and how to make it clearer. An hour passes and the two get through two problems with a little difficulty and after a failed attempt at a formula, Emma closes her notebook shut and loudly proclaims it time to eat.

 

“It’s _six_ already, Regina! I could sneak in some sandwiches from downstairs.”

 

The truth is that Regina’s starving, and so she reluctantly sends Emma to ‘sneak’ food in. The library actually doesn’t have a rule against food and Regina suspects Emma knows this but continues to revel in the fun of breaking fake rules.

 

After their break, which includes Emma throwing napkins at Regina’s nose with practiced aim, (it escalates to Regina gathering all the napkins and showering a squealing Emma with them until she falls out of the chair evading them) Emma’s far more cheerful and ready to work.

 

By the time eight rolls around, Regina’s having entirely too much fun as she explains concept after concept and hears Emma groan every five minutes.

 

She’s explaining a formula in full detail when she realizes Emma’s stopped making little necessary noises, her sighs of frustration or hums of approval.

 

“Are you even listening?” Regina asks, a little more than exasperated.

 

“Hm? Oh, not really. You’re a little distracting.” Emma sounds tired but lighthearted and Regina clears her throat. Honestly, the blushing is getting ridiculous.

 

“Stop trying to be cute.” Regina shuffles some papers around needlessly and tries getting back on track.

 

“It’s just, the way you move your arms around when you’re excited about something, it’s pretty great to watch. It’s cute.” Emma nudges her foot with hers at that last word, and Regina tries in vain not to smile.

 

She feels Emma shift in her seat, and with a short intake of breath, Regina fees deft finger tuck a strand of hair behind her ear.

 

“Let’s get out of here, yeah? I think I get what I have to do with this problem, and I’m just freakin’ tired of hearing about molecules.” Emma’s fingers linger behind her ear and it send goosebumps down Regina’s neck.

 

Regina whispers her agreement and Emma retreats, much to her disappointment. The two gather their books in a comforting silence and are out the library in no time. She finds Emma inching closer and closer until Regina reaches out for her arm and locks arms again, bodies pressed together.

 

“Want to walk around for a little bit?” Emma sounds unsure and she loosens her hold on Regina’s arm as if afraid of rejection, but Regina smiles and nods, more than willing to stay in the blonde’s presence a while longer. She’s quite sure she doesn’t want the night to end and it alarms her suddenly, how quickly sh’s become attached.

 

There’s an abundance of students walking around, the campus life at full swing despite it being alate weekday, in Regina’s opinion, but the air is warm and there’s a light breeze that tickles her nose.

 

Emma starts humming low, something long and subdued with very few notes, and Regina finds herself feeling content once again and she settles into Emma’s side with in a comfortable silence.

 

“What are you doing tomorrow?” The sound of a rock being kicked is heard to Regina’s left and she smiles at Emma’s never ending childishness.

 

“Not much. Study for a test I have next week and go to bed early.” She’s hoping to see Emma again but after so many days spent together without a break, she doesn’t want to swarm the blonde with her presence so often and without an excuse. “And you?”

 

“I work after class. In the radio booth.” She feels Emma shrug a little to her left.

 

With a startling gasp, Regina realizes whose voice always boomed through the cafeteria when she’s heading to class. “Thats’s _you_?”

 

Emma chuckles and nods so vigorously that Regina can feel it next to her. “Yeah. It’s pretty nice. I got lucky. There’s a guy who works there that always wears these really weird-“

 

“Emma!” A male voice behind them interrupts what Emma was about to say and makes her falter.

 

She cursed lowly and turns them both around, apologizing beneath her breath.

 

“Heeeey, Neal.”

 

“Hey! You never returned my texts and I just thought maybe-.” The man’s voice is irritating, he’s whining slightly and Regina can just imagine slumped shoulders and a patchy beard. “Oh. Who’s this?”

 

Emma sighs beside her and presses her further into her side. “This is Regina. Regina, Neal. Neal, Regina.” Her voice is flat and irritated, and it takes everything out of Regina to stretch her hand out

 

“Pleasure,” Regina drawls as Neal weakly shakes her hand.

 

“Um, yeah. Listen, Em, can we talk? Like, alone?” This- _Neal_ could clearly not read body language. It was obvious to Regina, who was _blind_ , that Emma wanted nothing to do with him.

 

“Don’t think so. I made it pretty clear where we stand, and I just don’t want to be anything other than friends.” Regina’s surprised by the amount of information Emma gives out in her presence and it warms her a little that she’s comfortable enough talking about this in front of her.

 

“I know, I know, but I really think once you give it a cha-“

 

“Nope, it was a mistake and I’m sorry, but I don’t feel the same way. I’ll see you around.” And with that, Emma tugs on Regina’s arm and leaves for the opposite direction.

 

Emma lets out a long groan and slumps for a good while before she says, “I’m sorry about that. He’s just so _ugh_ , and pushy and I don’t want to be anywhere around him anymore. Sorry you had to be there for that.”

 

Regina stays silent for a few moments, not sure how much she can ask and if she has any right to be curious. Deciding that Emma’s already said enough for her to piece some things together, Regina merely asked who he is.

 

The two are already outside her building, Regina notices when Emma tries opening the sticky door.

 

“Um, well he’s a friend, sorta.” She’s a little out of breath and she lets Regina through the door before returning to her side. They climb the stairs and Regina patiently waits for the rest of the story. 

 

“The thing is that I- um, you know how I said I was strictly into girls?”

 

Regina’s stomach drops a little as she nods carefully.

 

“Well, he’s the reason I found out. That I’m gay as hell. I uh, slept with him.” Emma’s voice drops to a near whisper, and before Regina knows what she’s doing, she disentangles her arm from Emma, who’s rushing to get the rest of her words out. “Turns out he was just friends with me to get into my pants, got me kinda drunk and I was like ‘what the hell, might as well find out’ and I mean, I was drunk so-. It wasn’t like I didn’t consent, it was just a really-. Stupid idea. And now he won’t leave me alone even though I told him off.” 

 

Emma’s voice trails off at the end, and realizing she does’t have a legitimate reason to be upset other than flaring jealousy, Regina shift closer to the blonde.

 

“ _Oh_. Well, it sounds like he shouldn’t have gotten you drunk in the first place.” Regina’s anger flares higher than her jealousy and she begins thinking of ways to find this Neal. “What did you say his last name was, dear?,” she asks as innocently as possible.

 

“Oh, no, no, _no_. Let’s just leave it.” Emma catches on way too quickly for Regina’s pleasure but, deciding against pushing, Regina merely hums.

 

Emma stops suddenly, and Regina realizes they’re outside her dorm room. Not wishing to leave the blonde so soon, she keeps talking.

 

“I _am_ sorry you went through that.” She tries putting as much sincerity behind her voice as she can, and she’s met with a short shrug from Emma.

 

“It’s okay. My stupid fault, I had like, two shots, really. Anyways.” Emma disentangles herself from Regina and stands in front of her, letting her hands trail down both of Regina’s arms before settling lightly on her palms. “What would would you say if I invited you to a game tomorrow?”

 

Regina raises an eyebrow at the incredulity of the question. “A game? Where I can’t see what’s happening?”

 

“Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it. There’s commentary and I really don’t even watch it, I’m just there for the food and atmosphere and okay, I didn’t plan this through all the way.” Emma sounds nervous now, like maybe it _was_ a bad idea and Regina doesn’t have the heart to say no to what could be a lovely evening. She lets Emma shuffle nervously for a beat longer before she nods.

 

“I would love to.”

 

“Really?” Emma bounces a little, jostling Regina’s hands. “I’ll pick you up at 7:30?”

 

Emma’s excitement catches on and Regina finds herself smiling. “That’d be great. I had a really nice time with you, Emma.” She says uncharacteristically shy. “Don’t forget your last problem.” 

 

“Oh, yeah. Me too.” Emma shuffles closer until Regina can feel the heat coming off her. She leans in close, so slowly that it makes Regina dizzy; she can feel her heart beating all the way down to her fingertips. She feels warm lips on her cheek and a hand cupping her elbow, before Emma retreats back slowly.

 

“Goodnight, Regina.”

 

She’s left alone in front of her door and she waits until Emma closes he door to her own room to break into a wide grin.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi! quick note- i'm sorry about the wait (it's been seven months, but who's counting! (me, i am, i've been counting away guiltity)) and i promise it won't take me this long to update again because that was kinda awful. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy, please let me know what you think!

Regina Mills does not grow agitated over dates with ridiculously childish and sweet blondes. 

 

She _doesn’t_ , no matter how many times Jefferson teases her about her absolute lack of composure while choosing an outfit. 

 

“It’s a _football_ game, Regina. I’m pretty sure you’re supposed to wear a jersey.” Jefferson’s voice is unnecessarily high in his amusement and Regina throws the seventh shirt she’s been deliberating on to the floor. 

 

“I’m not wearing a jersey to my date,” she rolls her eyes and searches for the tag on the next shirt hanging in her closet. 

 

There’s a muffled cough and the shrieking of her bed springs before Jefferson yells ten decibels too high. 

 

“So it _is_ a date!”

 

“Well, yes.” She says distractedly. The shirt turns out to be a light yellow with short sleeves and it makes her wonder if it’d match Emma’s hair, or if she’d clash standing next to the blonde in such a bright color.

 

_Ridiculous._

 

“She’s taking you to a football game, of all things, as your first date?”

 

“Technically,” Regina slips her most casual burgundy shirt over her head, “this is our second date.”

 

An overtly dramatic gasp comes from somewhere on the floor, (she’s seventy-three percent certain Jefferson flung himself out of her bed in despair) and Regina tugs at the end of her shirt to rearrange it. 

 

“Well?” She spreads her arms out nervously and ignores Jefferson stunned silence. “Is it casual enough? I’m running out of shirts.”

 

It’s not nearly the truth because when she left Storybrooke, Maine, and consequently her entire family, she took as many clothes as she could so as not to return for a good year or so. She’s missing half of her winter clothes and nearly her entire collection of shoes but it’s the price she was more than willing to pay to leave.

 

“It’s hideous, just like you’re lying, evil heart.” 

 

“I think it’ll do. It’s hot enough to wear a skirt, right?”

 

“Regina. _Second_ date?”

 

“… Shorts will do, you’re right.”

 

“ _Regina_ ,” Jefferson says exasperatingly and she thins her lips out in an effort not to smile. “I have half a mind to lock you in your room and make you miss your _second_ _date_.”

 

She almost steps on him as she makes her way to where her curling iron is heating up but pays him no mind when he tries grabbing her ankle.

 

“It was- spontaneous. A simple coffee date, it was nothing.” But even as she says this, her traitorous mouth curls into a smile she can’t quite tamper down. 

 

Jefferson whines and needles small details from her as she curls her hair to perfection, and he’s decidedly more annoying when he finds out Emma’s visited her dorm room continuously over the past weeks.

 

“She asked you for help in chemistry? That’s never worked for me.” He sounds a little impressed and her cheeks pink up without her consent. 

 

“I actually- offered.” She has yet to regret _that,_ even if she’s had unbearable somersaults invade her stomach every single time she thinks of Emma.

 

Every. _Single_. Time. 

 

Jefferson stays quiet again and it’s with great caution that he asks his next question.

 

“You- you _offered_? Who _are_ you?” He sounds far too in awe of her current situation and she pinches her eyes closed as she contemplates the question. 

 

It makes absolutely no sense to her that she’s entertaining the idea of going to a football game in the middle of a difficult week at school, where she has meeting lining up at every break and enough homework to make Emma cry.

 

She’s reaching out to random strangers who tried breaking into her dorm, she’s eating pizza from the box and buying greasy chips to please a particular blonde with an unrefined palate, she’s even going out to a college event she didn’t organize and worst of all, she’s _enjoying_ it.

 

Regina hasn’t allowed herself to enjoy these many rushed decisions since, well-

 

Since Daniel. 

 

Jefferson clears his throat and she realizes she’s almost burned a lock of hair. She hastily unwraps the wand from the strand and gives herself a firm mental shake. 

 

She’s overthinking this, clearly. It’s just a simple outing with a pleasant blonde, nothing more.

 

 

 

It’s so clearly _not_ nothing more as soon as she hears a loud thump by her door. She kicked Jefferson out at seven sharp ( _I just need to_ _see_ _her, pleeease?_ ) and she’s been nervously hemming and re-hemming her black shorts as 7:30 approaches. 

 

Now, though, her hands still as a loud groan makes it way through her door. 

 

“Ow, _ow_ ,” is heard muffled through the wood before there’s a tentative knock.

 

Just _hearing_ the familiar voice makes her heart stop for the briefest of seconds before jump starting quickly and violently; she admits she has to redefine _nothing more_ rather quickly. 

 

“Since when do you lock your door?” Emma whines from the outside.

 

Realizing that Emma had crashed into her door after trying to just _fling_ it open, Regina chuckles and just like that, half of her nerves dissipate. 

 

“Since I heard this floor has a problem with strange blonde girls breaking and entering,” she replies easily as she opens the door. 

 

“That was _one_ time, and I apologi-“ Emma’s words get caught in her throat, or she’s bitten off her tongue, or it’s been suspiciously stolen from her because there’s a pause that lasts longer than thirty seconds. 

 

Regina clears her throat and reaches out to see if Emma’s still there; her hand bumps a bare ( _always_ bare) arm.

 

“Uh- I said I was sorry. Wow you look-“ Emma rushes out in one short breath and the arm previously under her hand moves around wildly. “-yeah.”

 

“I look ‘yeah’?” 

 

There’s those _stupid_ somersaults again.

 

“ _Yeah_ ,” Emma breathes. “I- I mean, you look great. Nice. _Really_ nice.”

 

Regina’s smile widens with each word and Emma lets out one long breath before she chuckles awkwardly. 

 

“Remember when I said I was smoother than this?” Emma asks, her tone serious. “I was lying.”

 

She laughs and locks the door behind her with ease. “I’ve noticed, dear. Trust me.”

 

*

 

“So there’s hot dogs and sandwiches, nachos, burgers, that meat on a stick thing. Oh, corndogs! We’re buying _everything_ ,” Emma takes a deep breath as she’s winding down, and Regina rests her hand on her forearm. 

 

“ _Breathe_ , Emma.”

 

The blonde blows her cheeks out and chuckles awkwardly. There’s a light breeze that’s almost turning cold, the end of summer almost near. Tendrils of blonde hair whisper across Regina’s arms and she has half a mind to take a strand between her fingers and tug playfully. 

 

“I’m uh- I’m a little nervous, not gonna lie,” another awkward chuckle that borders on hysterical and Regina’s heart stutters.

 

She’s _gone_ , lost, entirely fascinated in this stumbling idiot and Regina stops pretending she’s anything _but_ interested in Emma. She bites the inside of her cheek and pinches her eyes shut before she reaches out and makes contact with Emma’s hip.

 

She lets her hand slide across a string back until Emma’s snug inside her arm and only then does she rise on her tip toes to place the shyest of kisses on a soft cheek. There’s a stuttering breath coming from Emma, and she can hear her own beating heart drumming against her ears. “Good,” she murmurs as she retreats and Emma’s shivers in her arms. 

 

Regina pulls away reluctantly and lets her arm drop to her side. They’re almost at the football field and Emma’s been talking the entire time. Regina would have interjected sooner but there’s something oddly endearing in hearing Emma stumble through sentences and ghost her finger tips across the back of Regina’s hand. 

 

She must have grown braver because Emma’s finger, previously grazing her knuckles, has now snatched her pinky playfully and tugged twice. Regina’s curled hand loosens when she feels Emma’s wrist sit comfortably against her own and when the blonde’s palm slides across hers, painfully slow, she feels five years younger and like she’s about to catch her heart climbing out of her mouth. 

 

She’s not fourteen, blushing as her first love holds her hand but the fluttering of her stomach and the way she can feel her heart beating high up on her throat comes close to what she felt then.

 

 

 

Her palm is a little sweaty and she tries wiping it inconspicuously against her shorts when the crowd gets too thick and Emma takes out her phone. She’s pretty sure it’s Emma’s hand that’s sweating and she’s deliberating between thinking it’s sweet or gross when Emma’s dry hand slides against her own again. 

 

So it’s _Regina’s_ hand that’s sweating like a fifteen year old boy during his first date. She decides it’s sweet after all.

 

 

 

When they finally make it to the stadium, Regina’s dizzy with Emma’s constant movement. Her voice rises and lowers with each new thought she has and Regina finds herself abandoning replies because of the quickness Emma moves through subjects. 

 

“I’m not _entirely_ sure her name’s Bella, but it sounds something like that.” Regina squeezes her hand in reply- she long ago gave up trying to interject. “I don’t know. It’s weird, you know? Ruby’s never done that before.”

 

There’s a brief pause and Regina pounces on it. 

 

“She’s never done _what_ with a girl before?” 

 

Emma’s been explaining in explicit detail how she walked in on Ruby and the girl she’s been seeing for the last couple of days (Regina already knows _too_ much).

 

“ _That!_ Cuddled and- and let a girl spend the night and-“ A vague noise is made at the back of Emma’s throat and Regina smiles at the blonde’s frustration. “I think she’s really into her.”

 

Emma sighs and nods contently besides her. There’s a brief second of quiet before the blonde’s hand twitches and she’s moving once more, every single part of her begging to be noticed.

 

Emma talks with her hands. She moves them around, and if it weren’t for the fact that the blonde’s accidentally smacked her in some way or another several times, Regina wouldn’t have known. Now, though, with her hand firmly curled around Emma’s as they walk to the game, she notices every twitch of the blonde’s hands and the quiet vibration that comes with standing too close to her.

 

Everything about Emma’s warm presence demands to be seen and heard and felt, and although she can only do two of those things, Regina’s always flooded with how much energy Emma seems to exude. It makes her feel like she’s part of something better, something _moving._

 

Standing next to Emma makes Regina feel as if her blood is singing and bubbling up a hum, as if something exciting and adventurous is happening in the palm of her hand. 

 

It _terrifies_ Regina.

 

*

 

There’s far too many people at the stadium. 

 

They bump into her and she feels sticky fingers brush against her every so often. Sweaty bodies push past her and Emma’s had to tug her out of the way one too many times for Regina’s enjoyment. She walks carefully because she’s frustratingly unfamiliar with her surroundings and there’s too many people for her to move freely and without worrying that she might run into a wall. 

 

She left her walking stick behind for this particular reason, she knows it wouldn’t have done any service when people have a tendency to trip over it when there’s too little room. Everything feels too tight and damp; she hasn’t felt this uneasy with her lack of sight since the very beginning. 

 

They’re taking a ridiculously long time walking towards the bleachers and Regina’s cursing Emma’s entire existence for the umpteenth time when she feels a warm breath tickle her ear.

 

“Do you wanna get some food?” Emma’s voice disarms her for a second and she finds herself nodding without actually wanting to move another inch from where she’s at. She can _feel_ Emma smiling against her and with one soft tug of their joined hands, Regina follows. 

 

She knows they’re taking so long moving because of her, and with her newfound appreciation of Emma’s unmatched enthusiasm and fast paced living, she feels as if it was ridiculous to come to an activity Emma can’t fully enjoy because of Regina.

 

Emma though, doesn’t complain once and Regina has a rising suspicion that the only reason they’re eating so early in the game is so Regina won’t have to brave the crowds again. She feels the beginning of her anger stir, but she’s quite honestly too tired of pretending she doesn’t have some setbacks that she occasionally wants to avoid to direct anything but a warm smile towards the blonde. 

 

Emma knows her disturbingly well for the amount of time they’ve spent together and Regina is beginning to see the benefits of having someone around who simply understands. 

 

“They don’t serve salads here, do they?” She bumps shoulders with Emma and hears her snort loudly. 

 

“Uh, _no_. We’re eating nachos and pizza and then hotdogs. Maybe some chili.”

 

“ _Are_ we, now?”

 

Emma squeezes her hand and stops abruptly. The air around instantly them smells like grease and too many calories. 

 

“Yeah, I can’t eat everything _all_ by myself.” Regina hears Emma order nachos and two slices of pizza with a grimace on her face. She might be smitten with the blonde (and that’s something she’s only willing to admit to herself) but she’s not so attached to her eating habits. 

 

*

 

Emma, as it turns out, can in fact eat every single thing she ordered. Regina takes two dainty bites of her pizza and hands the rest to the blonde, who takes it greedily and without question. She’s not particularly hungry for greasy food and her nerves have taken the better part of her appetite. Emma, however, finishes everything before the second half. Whatever that means. 

 

She’s not sure she enjoys the game during the first minutes. The seats are too hard for her comfort and she doesn’t understand the commentary at _all_ , it’s garbled and too loud and Regina has half a mind to ask Emma what the hell is going on. It smells distinctly like spilled beer and her shoes keep sticking to the floor every time she shifts. 

 

Before she can throw her hands up and demand to be taken home, Emma leans during a particularly loud part.

 

“Okay, so far we’re winning, but only by accident.” Regina frowns and opens her mouth to ask _how_ that’s possible when the crowd cheers. 

 

Emma leans in further and places a hand on her knee while a warm nose bumps into the shell of her ear. “So the guy with really small shoulders tackled the other guy to the ground and-“

 

There’s more noise and Emma’s hand falls from her knee as she rises to her feet in excitement. Regina stays seated and waits until Emma’s gripping her knee and rapidly explaining something against her ear. 

 

She’s got absolutely no idea what’s going on and she’s not even focusing on the football terms Emma’s spewing with speed; she’s merely enjoying the continuous commentary and they way she’s enveloped in everything Emma the seconds she leans in. 

 

Regina feels a hand on her knee and another touching her elbow at times. There’s hair tickling her shoulders and getting caught in her eyelashes when Emma leans in too far and she’s continuously shivering as Emma’s breath ghosts past her neck.

 

It’s maddeningly distracting and all of her distaste for the environment she’s in slowly fades away as Emma’s excitement builds and her touches continue. 

 

There’s people talking all around her, cheering and whistling and now that nobody is jostling her around, she finds that she quite enjoys the constant motion, so far as it doesn’t reach her. She has enough dizzying energy sitting next to her to last her, well- ages.

 

There’s a marching band that Emma describes hideously as “A bunch of weird looking people in big ugly coats. Don’t tell Bella I said that.”

 

She feels, more than anything, included in something she hasn’t ever wanted to be included in, and she has to admit that it’s not that bad if only to experience it next to Emma. It’s surprisingly pleasant standing in the middle of a moving crowd and just hearing it through the blonde’s dry humor and unnecessary commentary. 

 

When Emma jumps to her feet after a loud cheer from the crowd and doesn’t immediately sit back down again, Regina tilts her head up in a silent question.  

 

Something nudges her knee and Emma says brightly,

 

“We lost!”

 

Regina chuckles and stands, wipes the back of her shorts quickly before reaching for Emma’s hand. She’s surprised when the blonde’s hand is already outstretched, reaching for hers. 

 

Stubby fingers intertwine with hers easily and they make the slow walk up the stairs. Emma doesn’t try holding on to her or leading her with her hands again; Regina let’s out a rush of air, instantly grateful. Still, she’s walking on unsteady feet with so many people around her so she reaches forward and hooks her fingers through the blonde’s belt loop. 

 

When they finally make it outside, there’s less people bumping into them and Regina can finally feel the late summer breeze hit her bare knees. She untangles her death grip from Emma’s loop and runs a nail over the indentation it left on her finger. 

 

“It’s barely past 11,” Emma murmurs distractedly and the busy world around Regina falls to the ground as she remembers her plans for tomorrow. She has an early meeting and another just after lunch, and she’s embarrassed to say she’s forgotten about them already. 

 

She doesn’t have _any_ inclination to leave Emma, but there’s been too many nights where’s she’s dismissed school and clubs because she’s reluctant for her to go. Her exhausted body, worn after late nights with the blonde only makes Regina begrudgingly admit that she has to call it a night. 

 

“I’m afraid I have to leave, Emma.” There’s a short pause where Regina shifts uncomfortably until a warm palm slides against her own. She explains her plans tomorrow in one short sentence; she’s inexplicably worried about Emma’s reaction.

 

“Oh. I didn’t know- we would have left earlier!” Emma squeezes her hand twice, “Let’s go, then.”

 

They leave the stadium, and although Regina’s disappointed at the lack of words whispered in her ear now that the crowds dispersed, she finds that she much enjoys Emma’s shoulders brushing against hers simply because she wants to.

*

 

Holding Emma’s hand feels like she’s about to take flight with how much the blonde is buzzing underneath her palm. Regina has the vague thought that Emma vibrates with _something_ , and if she stands close enough to feel it, she’ll start buzzing too.

 

It’s because she’s so attuned with the way Emma comes alive under her skin that she’s immediately aware when the blonde stops. 

 

There’s a moment of stillness in Emma, the kind where her fingers stop twitching, her hair stays in place, no longer tickling her arm, and her breathing slows down. Regina turns a questioning head towards her, and Emma finally moves.

 

“I thought-“ there’s a sharp intake of breath that has Regina frowning. Emma groans quietly and after a few seconds, shakes her shoulders as if to rid herself of a bad feeling.

 

“Never mind, it passed. _Maybe_ I shouldn’t have eaten so much.” 

 

“Are you sure?” Regina prompts.

 

“Yeah, yeah.” Regina crinkles her nose and strokes her thumb on the back of a warm palm. The buzz is back, Regina notes with satisfaction and the two continue their way back to the dorms. 

 

Saying good bye to Emma feels exactly like walking on water after a long swim: unsteady and eerily unfamiliar, as if Regina hasn’t walked for such a long time that she doesn’t know how to balance on her legs. 

 

It’s a ridiculous notion that she has no business entertaining, but as Emma leans against her doorway and watches silently as she unlocks her door, she can’t explain it any other way. 

 

She’s bone tired, the last couple of days have finally caught up to her this late on a Friday night and she wants to fight the weariness shrouding her shoulders in order to talk to Emma. Instead, she opens the door and faces the blonde with a small smile, intent on saying goodbye and finally resting for a full night. 

 

She hesitates by the door and Emma takes a step forward, her shoes hitting the floor loudly. 

 

“Um,” the blonde lets out an awkward chuckle. “I know you can’t like,” there’s a small pause and Regina imagines Emma’s waving her hands around, “see and you probably didn’t enjoy the uh- the game all that much but I’m really, really glad you went with me.”

 

She sounds so painfully shy that Regina chooses not to comment on how she hadn’t enjoyed it until halfway through when Emma’s hand had involuntary fallen on her knee.

 

“I enjoyed hearing you so excited,” she says instead. And it’s true, because the best part about the whole blasted game was knowing that Emma was two seconds from falling off the benches. The grip she’d had on Regina’s knee was an added bonus, of course, but the whole evening was worth hearing Emma enjoy something in an almost child-like manner. 

 

Emma sputters for a second and it’s only then that Regina realizes how her words can be interpreted. Her cheeks color for the briefest of seconds before she clears her throat and tries masking her piqued interest. She’s too tired to not be affected by Emma right now and she knows this is her cue to leave unless she wants to do something she’s not ready for yet ( _maybe_ ).

 

“Next time, I’ll take you somewhere _I_ enjoy,” she says when the silence stretches for too long. She’s already excited for another outing with Emma, and she hasn’t even left yet. 

 

“Yeah, next time,” Emma breathes and Regina smiles. She can practically _hear_ the blonde nodding vigorously. 

 

“Well,” Regina starts, “goodnight.” She doesn’t move, merely breathes in and waits for Emma’s reply.

 

She expects the hand at her elbow because what Emma lacks in words, she makes up in contact. What she _doesn’t_ expect is the warm breath suddenly ghosting her nose and it’s with great, _great_ self-control that she doesn’t lean in. 

 

Emma, though, has no problem brushing her nose imperceptibly close to her own and Regina’s preparing the onslaught of somersaults her heart is about to make when she feels thin, warm lips kiss her soundly on her cheek. 

 

There’s that buzz again, and when Emma retreats and slips into her own room, Regina can still feel something coming alive with joy underneath her skin.

 

*

 

Dating Emma, Regina learns early on, means she knows entirely too much information about Ruby Lucas’ sex drive.

 

Emma’s closest friend formally introduces herself by following Emma into one of their coffee dates a couple of days after the football game. She sits next to Regina and buys them all coffee and begins talking, in earnest, about Belle French. 

 

“She’s a history major and she’s the smartest person I’ve met, _ever_ , and she has an _amazing_ accent that Emma still can’t understand-“

 

“Hey!”

 

“-and we’re all going dancing next week so you can meet her, Regina.”

 

The last part is directed towards her, she understands, but she’s too shocked to respond with anything other than a rise of her eyebrows. 

 

“If you want, I _mean_.” Ruby amends but she sounds convinced that Regina will follow. Regina’s not so sure. 

 

“Um, so Regina, you’ve met Ruby,” Emma tries interjecting weakly. 

 

“And where exactly are we going?” She ignores Emma. 

 

“Out of town!” Ruby says excitingly, “I’ve taken her on a few dates, but this should be fun, right?”

 

Ruby’s excited voice tampers off into an indecisive grumble and Regina loses the arched eyebrow to make way for a reassuring smile. Emma sighs in relief. 

 

Her arched eyebrows come back in full force when Ruby begins describing in detail just how much she enjoys Belle French’s accent during _certain_ activities. 

 

*

 

Emma works the afternoon shift at the radio station on Tuesday’s. Regina hears her low voice coming from the speakers as she walks through the cafeteria on her way to the dorms, and a slow smile spreads across her face while she maneuvers through the tables.  

 

“-an _exclusive_ interview with the head of the Anthropology department!” It’s the last thing she catches as the doors close behind her and she shakes her head fondly at the blonde’s excitement. 

 

She has a long night ahead of her, mainly because she’s behind on an essay she didn’t have time to revise before her Honor’s meeting and because she’s trying to finish everything before Emma’s shift is up. She’s had an idea forming in her mind ever since Emma’s second date, and she’s excited to invite the blonde.

 

She’s sure Emma would not mind sitting around in Regina’s dorm while she finishes her homework but Regina only has so much time to spend with the blonde before they’re both falling asleep while trying to hold a conversation. 

 

She finishes quickly enough and is even embarrassed to say that her mind wanders to Emma’s calloused hands and firm arms more than once. When she finally hears a tentative knock at her door, she’s loosing her mind over a simple visit. 

 

“Hey,” Emma says, opening the door. It’s happened more than once that Emma’s barged in without knocking only to find Regina fast asleep in between piles of books and papers. 

 

“Hello,” she says pleasantly enough, not rising from the small table and smiling when Emma squeezes her arm just above her elbow. 

 

“I got out later than usual today,” she complains and falls roughly unto Regina’s bed. Regina’s stopped questioning when Emma became so familiar with invading her space. 

 

“I heard about your _thrilling_ interview, dear.” Regina chuckles at Emma’s low groan, muffled by a pillow, Regina guesses, and moves to stand. “Tell me, is Professor Glass still obscenely obsessed with decaying bones?”

 

“ _Yes_ ,” comes the muffled reply, “he talked for an hour straight.” 

 

Regina sits at the edge of the bed and worries her lower lip. Emma’s sprawled over most of the free space on her bed and she tugs at the blonde’s foot to get her attention. 

 

Finding boots instead of socks, Regina clicks her tongue against the roof of her mouth and chastises, “Shoes.”

 

The bed dips and Emma gives a long suffering sigh as she takes her boots off.

 

“I was thinking,” Regina begins when Emma starts playing with her fingers, both girls sitting facing each other, “I’d like to take you somewhere.”

 

Emma hums and intertwines stubby fingers with hers. “Where?”

 

There’s an underlying excitement in that one word that makes Regina appreciate Emma’s presence even more. Nothing is just _boring_ when it comes to her.

 

“A concert,” she pauses to gauge any sort of reaction and when she doesn’t receive one, she continues on. “It’s at the theater a couple of miles from here.” She’s momentarily distracted by a finger stroking the web of skin separating her thumb.

 

“What kind of music is it?” Emma drawls and Regina’s skin lights on fire at the blonde’s touch. The buzz is back and it’s enveloping Regina in full; she shakes her head to focus on the question. 

 

“Classical,” she breathes.

 

“Oh,” Emma states simply. “But what _kind_?” she insists. Regina rolls her eyes and instructs the blonde to plug her phone to the speaker system in her dorm. While the blonde is up, Regina moves to lean against the headboard. Her bed is flat against the wall and she sits as close to it so Emma can sit next to her. 

The bed dips and Regina expects the her to sit against the headboard with her. Instead, she feels Emma’s breath skirt her hip and she realizes Emma’s laying flat against her bed. A hand snatches her own just as the soft tune of the music carries through the room. 

 

She has, with inexplicable urgency, the desire to see Emma’s face as the music gathers tempo and echoes around the room. Regina’s not sure if it’s the blonde’s constant energy or the thrum of the music resonating in her chest that makes her slide down so she’s laying flat next to Emma.

 

She disentangles their hands a props her head in one palm, her body facing the sprawled blonde. The music continues playing and she can feel Emma’s breathing hitting her shoulder. 

 

“I’m curious,” Regina starts and Emma hums, “about what you look like.”

 

Before she looses her courage, Regina stretches a hand out until she makes contact with familiar hair. She runs her fingers through it for a short second before she slides her hand down Emma’s temple. Her fingers easily find a warm ear and suddenly, her whole hand is vibrating with Emma’s energy. 

 

She runs her fingers through Emma’s jaw and, with a jolt of surprise, she notes the sharp edges and broad structure. 

 

“What color are your eyes?” Regina whispers and when Emma opens her mouth to breathe, she realizes just how close she is.

 

“Green,” Emma whispers and Regina smiles. “Or blue, sometimes.” 

 

Her fingers find a strong chin and Regina finds it split in the middle. She’s half in love with Emma’s face already. 

 

She travels upward and grazes the corner of a lip, which quirks and stays up as Emma smiles. She continues moving with slightly trembling fingers and finds a pudgy nose. There’s a small bump on one side and Emma shifts under her hand. When her thumb accidentally grazes a nostril, Emma giggles and Regina huffs out a laugh.

 

Emma’s hand comes to rest lightly on her elbow and Regina pauses her movements. 

 

She’s ten times more interested in knowing how Emma’s lips feel like under her fingers, if her lips are wide and small, or wide and thin, or if they’re as chapped as the last time Emma kissed her cheek, but she’s nothing if not patient so she moves past a perfect nose and finds Emma’s eyes.

 

Emma shifts on the bed and she knows the blonde is growing restless. 

 

The song playing ends softly and there’s a two second gap where the room is quiet and all Regina can hear and feel is Emma. Eyelashes flutter closed against her fingers and Regina takes it as an invitation to trace an eyelid. When Emma opens her eyes, so painfully slow, Regina’s heart aches with the desire to know exactly what color those eyes are. 

 

She doesn’t dwell on it though, and when the song starts again and Regina has to strain to hear Emma’s spiked breathing, she traces a thin eyebrow and slides her hand down until she’s cupping a sharp cheekbone.

 

Emma leans into her hand and when she utters Regina’s name under her breath, Regina leans in until she’s close enough to bump her nose against the blonde’s. 

 

Emma is still under her hand, her whole body is thrumming and vibrating but she’s _still_ for once. Regina traces her lip and smiles when she finds thin, warm lips parted; her thumb grazes the inside of Emma’s lower lip and she hears the blonde’s sharp intake of breath. Deciding she’s had quiet enough, Regina shifts and hovers dangerously close to Emma’s lips.

 

Before she can lean in further, Emma reaches up and suddenly there’s warm lips pressed against her own, moving with sweet caution.

 

Kissing Emma feels exactly like holding her hand, except instead of calloused hands setting her skin ablaze, it’s thin lips buzzing underneath her own and making her mind hazy with desire. Emma’s hand travels to tighten around her hair and she feels completely alive wherever she touches her. 

 

The skin underneath Regina’s hand is warm and flushed and she remembers little else other than how Emma’s lips mold against hers. She’s still hovering above Emma and the music is somehow still playing when they part slowly.

 

“Wow,” Emma breathes and Regina laughs through her nose. “I-“ Ema cuts herself off and lunges forward to kiss Regina again. She’s gone, lost entirely in everything Emma for the next couple of minutes and when the album playing on her phone finally ends, she doesn’t notice it. 

 

It isn’t until Emma sits up and cups Regina’s face in her hands that her mind looses some of the haze and she presses her forehead to Emma’s, breathing deeply. 

 

“What kind of music did you say it was, again?” Emma _breathes_ and Regina laughs against thin lips. 

 

 

*

 

“Ruby cancelled our plans because Belle French is throwing up all over my dorm floor and Ruby’s wiping her nose every two seconds,” Emma says in lieu of greeting a couple of days later and Regina places the book she’s reading down. 

 

(Emma’s taken to calling Belle by her full name because of Ruby’s affinity to repeat _‘my girlfriend, Belle_ ’ every single time she talks about her. 

 

After too many times, Emma had paused the conversation and said dryly, “We’re talking about Belle, right? Belle French?”

 

Regina had pinched her underneath the table and Ruby had accidentally thrown a sugar packet, directed towards a giggling Emma, at Regina’s shoulder.)

 

“Is she alright?” Regina asks, standing up, and is surprisingly disappointed at the change of plans. She’s had a busy week of homework and projects and had been looking forward to dancing with Emma.

 

“Yeah, it’s just a bug. I think I might be getting it too because I keep on wanting to throw up,” Emma says casually and Regina frowns. 

 

“What?” 

 

Instead of answering, Emma pecks her on her forehead and hugs her tightly. “What if we go to the concert thingy this week and go dancing next week?”

 

Regina shivers as Emma speaks directly against her neck. She’s gotten more and more used to the blonde’s surprising tendency to always be in contact, but it’s times like this that she thinks she’s bitten more than she can chew. 

 

“Of course,” Regina says, and begins going over her schedule. “They’re playing every day this month. This Friday?”

 

“I work Friday afternoon,” Emma mumbles against her neck and Regina smiles. She tightens her arms around the blonde’s waist and pulls her closer. 

 

“Saturday?”

 

“Works for me,” Emma says tiredly and disentangles herself and gives Regina a lingering kiss. There’s a niggling voice in the back of her mind that warns her something is _off_ , because as affectionate as Emma is, she’s never quite this sentimental about it. Regina thinks she must be having a rough day or a tiring week, and she’s about to ask when Emma moves to lay on her bed. 

 

Regina, intent on finishing a chapter before Emma can distract her, takes the book she was reading and sits against the headboard. 

 

“How do you read this?” The blonde questions quietly against her hip and Regina’s fingers find Emma’s skittering over the Braille markings. “Can you teach me?”

 

Regina’s chest floods with warmth and she takes a second to compose herself before she nods. “Of course.”

 

She’s halfway through a rushed and excited explanation, her fingers stumbling through the bumps on the pages when she realizes Emma’s fallen asleep leaning on her thigh. She runs her a hand tentatively through long hair and when the blonde doesn’t wake up, Regina continues reading with a slight smile on her face.

 

*

 

 

Ruby leaves the door open when she’s not _entertaining_ anybody. It’s a habit Regina forces Ruby to do, because, although she can’t _see_ what is going on, she still rather not hear it as well.

 

She’s on a short break between her meetings and she hasn’t talked to Emma in what seems like an eternity (which is, in actuality, just one short day), so she makes the quick trip to the dorm and knocks on Emma’s open door. 

 

“Hey, Regina!” comes Ruby’s reply and she waits three seconds before a chaste kiss is delivered to her expectant cheek. “Emma’s at the library.”

 

Her cheeks color instantly, because although she likes Ruby and has even started considering her a friend, she’s never spent any time with her outside of Emma’s presence. 

 

“Thanks, Ruby,” she breathes, mildly embarrassed. She’s stepping out the door when a thought makes her pause. “Would you like to have lunch tomorrow?”

 

Emma has a class during Regina’s lunch hour and if Ruby doesn’t mind sitting through Jefferson’s mad babbling, she thinks it’d be nice to include the younger girl. 

 

“Sure!” Ruby chirps excitingly and Regina makes a mental note to make sure she does this more often.

 

Regina finds Emma just behind the eight bookshelf of the third floor. She can hear slight grumbling as she walks silently, her walking stick folded nicely and secured around her hand so as to surprise Emma. She’s rounding a corner, just a couple of steps from the desks and chairs hidden in the very end of the corridor when she realizes she can’t hear Emma’s grumbling anymore. 

 

“Hey!” comes behind her and Regina’s hand comes up to press lightly against her chest as her heart thunders dangerously. 

 

“You scared me!” She turns and swats her hand in Emma’s general direction. Her hand collidesloudly with an arm and Regina smirks. 

 

“Sorry,” Emma says but she doesn’t sound apologetic at all when she gathers Regina in her arms and pulls her close. 

 

It’s Emma this time, that takes a subtle deep breath and closes the gap between them. There’s a breath that tickles her lower lip before warm lips press against her own. Everything is too warm around Regina and she can feel her chest heating up as she moves her lips against Emma’s, slowly and reverently at first and then frantically as if she can’t quite get enough. 

 

She supposes she can’t.

 

When she finally retreats, Emma follows and presses one last, soft kiss against her smiling lips, and moves an errant strand of hair out of her face. 

 

“Hi,” Emma mumbles and Regina’s smile grows. 

 

“Hi, yourself.” She’s still wrapped nicely in Emma’s bare arms and she feels so indescribably young and warm that she reaches forward and kisses the blonde again and again until Emma forgets about her homework.

 

Regina arrives twenty minutes late to her meeting after a lingering a kiss and a whispered _tomorrow?_ confirming their plans for the concert.She’s got mussed hair and a tingling on her lower lip where Emma bit down gently. She doesn’t regret it.

 

*

 

For the second time in a very short month, Regina finds herself decidedly _not_ nervous for a date with Emma. 

 

She’s more excited than nervous, she tries telling herself, but her stomach is twisting and making too many somersaults for her to believe it. Unlike last time, though, she got ready in half the time she did with Jefferson.

 

She’s wearing a deep blue dress with lace sleeves and a deep cut, and she keeps rearranging the material around her wrists as the time draws nearer for Emma to meet her in her room. 

 

She _is_ excited, if not more than a little nauseatingly nervous and she’s finally given up on wondering why she’s so taken with Emma. 

 

She’s stopped wondering because she knows with absolute certainty that it’s a combination of Emma’s good and unwaveringly sweet (if a bit crass) personality that has Regina so interested. She’s never felt quite at peace _and_ terrified _and_ wary with somebody like this before and it’s throwing her for a long, long loop that she can’t see herself exiting. 

 

Regina thinks it’s the most faith she’s had in somebody in a very long time, which is why, when Emma is twenty minutes late, she doesn’t grow nervous. 

 

When the fabric begins to itch inside her wrist, and the twenty minutes turn to forty, and then a full hour, her faith wavers but remains. 

 

When the knock doesn’t come after the hour and a half, and when Ruby doesn’t barge in and explain some ridiculously outrageous adventure Emma is always getting herself into, Regina’s faith trips and falters, and she finds herself walking out of the dorm and knocking at Emma’s door. 

 

Ruby is at Belle’s dorm, still tending to her sickness which is why she finds it odd that the door is fastened shut and that no response comes from behind it. She feels her heart dip below her ribcage in one fell swoop and, instead of the trademark butterflies Emma always instills, there’s only embarrassment and anger brewing in her stomach. 

 

She slams the door closed behind her when she enters her dorm again and, faith firmly nonexistent now, she slips out of her heels and wills her tears not to fall. 

 

When the second hour strikes, her anger gives way for concern, and when it’s so late in the night that her eyes are drooping and her blue dress is pooled somewhere in her dorm floor, she thinks that if anything were wrong with Emma, Ruby surely would have let her know. 

 

Her heart feels heavy with anger and concern when she finally falls asleep, make-up intact and hair done perfectly, and she doesn’t have it in her to check if the door in front of hers ever opens during the night. 

 

*

 

There’s nobody at her door the next morning when she wakes, and although Emma hasn’t made it a habit of stopping by her door early in the morning too often, Regina is still disappointed and wholly angry at the blonde. She leaves for her class with her chin up high, and if she checks if Emma’s door is still closed as she passes, well, she chalks it up to it being extremely early to have good judgement.

 

As her classes begin to end and her meeting draws up short, Regina is at loss for what to do. Should she search her out or wait until the blonde, or even Ruby shows up with a half assed apology?

 

Regina is too angry to wait around for that, so when she finally drags her tired body up her buildings stairs, she knocks three times on the closed door and seethes. 

 

There’s no answer and Regina’s eyes prickle with tears. 

 

She chastises herself for acting so weak and, turning her back to the closed door, she walks determinedly to her room and tries not to think about Emma.

 

*

 

Not thinking about Emma turns out to last quiet some time and while Regina was initially concerned about the blonde’s wellbeing, she rules any possible injury when she literally runs into Ruby outside of the dorm building three days later.

 

“Regina!” The girl squeaks, and Regina stiffens. 

 

“Ruby,” she starts coldly. She has half a mind to ask right out what the hell’s happened but something that feels a lot like her pride is lodged somewhere at the back of her throat. 

 

“I- I um,” the girl stutters and Regina scowls. “I don’t- _fuck_.”

 

“Lovely as always, Ruby.” She’s decided to cut her loses and simply act as if she’s indifferent to the whole thing (she’s not, dammit it all, and she can’t concentrate on anything other than the pound of her heart against the base of her throat every time she thinks about Emma). Before she can walk away though, Ruby snatches her arm and Regina yanks away from her. 

 

“Hey- _woah_.” Ruby drops her arm. “I know, okay?”

 

_No_ , she does not, and she opens her mouth to say as much when Ruby interrupts. 

 

“Just, there’s-.“ A low growl comes from the girl, as if she doesn’t know how much to divulge. “It’s fucked up, alright, and-“

 

But she’s heard enough so with a final icy glare in Ruby’s general direction, Regina storms off. 

 

*

 

Three days turn into a week and Regina can’t help but wish she’d bump into the blonde every time she walks through their hallway, if only to yell at her and maybe impale her with her walking stick. 

 

She’s mad with something that’s _not_ heartbreak (it isn’t, no matter how her chest constricts every time she passes through the closed door and gets _nothing_ ), she’s infuriatingly desperate for somebody to yell at or maybe for somebody to yell at _her_ for trusting senselessly and without a second thought.

 

She ignores Jefferson and the closed door, she ignores the library and the upcoming football game. She’s shoved her blue dress to the back of the closet and thrown the stale chips she bought long ago for a particular blonde down the trash can. 

 

(It’s not as satisfying as she thought it’d be.)

 

She’s always admired Emma’s constant movement, the energy around her that had Regina buzzing right alongside of her, her wild movements and the way she always found a way to subtly assault Regina’s senses with the briefest of touches. 

 

When she said she loved Emma’s adventurous energy, she never thought she’d use it to move away from Regina. 

 

*

 

She has twenty odd things running through her mind when she finally makes it up the stairs of the building, two weeks after Emma’s cowardly departure. She's focusing on looking for an alternative route to her Political Science class so she doesn’t have to listen to Emma Swan’s idiotic voice through the cafeteria’s speakers, and she’s so engrossed in forcing her chest to let up on the constrictive hold against her heart that she doesn’t notice that _the_ door is open and she’s not alone in the hallway. 

 

Her walking stick is resonating against the floor and she has a maddeningly strong grip around it as she takes her key from her purse. 

 

It’s not until she’s reaching for the doorknob that she realizes something is _different_ about today. She can’t quite place her finger on it but it feels somewhat like walking on land after swimming for so long, and a million little sparks coming alive under her skin after touching _her_. 

 

Regina should know what that means and she _should_ know what’s about to happen, but she’s too engrossed in her anger that when the soft, 

 

“Hi” (voice too soft and apologetic and _Emma_ ),

 

she’s wholly unprepared. 

 


End file.
